b'TRADE TURBULENCE AND A WORLD OF UNCERTAINTYSeed World sat down with ASTAs Sam Crowell to talk about the currentclimate and what it means for the seed sector.By Aimee Nielson, Seed World U.S. EditorEditors note: Trade policy and tariffa different set of authorities that allowwould have to take into whether talks are ever-changing. Please checkthe administration to move much moreyou produce that seed in one of our Seedworld.com for the most up-to- quickly. three countries in order to qualify date information as it comes out. The tariffs announced during the firstfor tariff exemptions, and document 100 days of the administration effectivelyat the port of entry that you qualify THE WORD TARIFFmightincrease the cost of importing productsfor exemptions under the United seem like a vague policy buzz- for many countries by anywhere betweenStates-Mexico-Canada Agreement word, but for those in the seed indus- 10-170%, Crowell says. Its happening(USMCA), Crowell notes. If your try, it now comes with a steep pricealmost overnight, and the rate will dependseed is produced outside of North tag and a daily dose of uncertainty. on the country in which you do business;America, you may be subject to dif-In the short term, I think thethe nature of the products your import- fering tariff rates, depending on the hardest part for us all is navigatinging; and the shipping windows in whichcountry of origin.the uncertainty around timelines andyou operate. If you product is crossing multiple scope of coverage, says Sam Crowell,country borders, you have to assess senior director of international pro- Whats at Stake? which origin rules you qualify for. If grams and policy for the AmericanFor seed companies, the situation is moreother countries retaliate with tariffs on Seed Trade Association (ASTA). than a policy headache. Its a logisticalU.S. exports, there may be additional On top of that, some tradingnightmare. tariffs going into their countries. So it partners are beginning to announceWe move product all over the worldgets quite expensive quite quickly.their own actions through retaliation,for seed production, cleaning, amplifica- The uncertainty is also straining he adds. tion, and testing in different breedinglogistics.Since January, the U.S. admin- environments, Crowell says. Effectively,In the early months of the admin-istration has moved quick to insti- every time that product crosses anistration, several ASTA members tute new rounds of tariffs under theinternational border, it is checked by ahave already shared with me that the International Emergency Economiccustoms official, and they have to makequeues at the Mexican and Canadian Powers Act (IEEPA). Crowell explainsa determination whether theres a tariffborders were longer than ever, that unlike the tariffs introducedimposed. Crowell says.during the first Trump administrationThat determination can carry seriousEveryone is adjusting their importwhich went through several monthsconsequences. and export logistics to account for of public comment and stakeholderIf you were moving seed back andtariff rates changing, particularly feedbackthis time, tariffs are roll- forth, in this case, between the U.S. andahead of July 9when the IEEPA ing out via executive order underCanada or the U.S. and Mexico, youReciprocal tariff rates increased above 26/ SEEDWORLD.COMJUNE 2025'