b'COVID-19: Whats the Impact? During the American Seed Trade Associations Virtual Policy and Leadership Development Conference, experts looked at the economic outlook of different crops for 2020. Alex MartinIF THERES ONEthing we can all agree on in 2020, its thatspecifically has affected them. Steve Lutz, senior vice president COVID-19 has not just thrown us off of our game but has cre- of insights and innovation of Category Partners, and Adam ated a new one for us. While our personal routines have shiftedBrohimer, vice president of Category Partners, both noted the in various ways, the coronavirus has drastically changed the wayvast changes the produce industry faced in the last few months.we do business. And the agriculture and seed industries are noThe pandemic is unlike anything weve seen in our lifetime, exception.Lutz said. I have been pulling data for over 20 years and looking Seed associations like the American Seed Trade Associationat retail performances across the supermarket. Obviously, noth-(ASTA) are taking this new challenge in stride, moving ahead anding like this has been experienced by any of us: the flocking to the adapting to the change as they come. stores and the wave of pantry loading.We know this has been a very challenging year, John Latham,The real question is: Whats the impact? Lutz said. How upcoming chair of ASTA, said during the Virtual Policy andare consumers changing? What can we anticipate in the coming Leadership Development Conference (PLDC Virtual). We wantmonths as we actually move through this quarantine pandemic? to remind you that ASTA is here and is working hard for you toOnce we emerge, hopefully consumers have the opportunity to continue our work of promoting the seed industryWe cant waitmove back to more normal types of purchasing behavior.to get back together with you in person. Lutz states there were visible shifts in shopping patterns from ASTA brought in experts from across the industry for theconsumers each week, which came across in four waves:PLDC Virtual event, to give their members an economic updateWave 1: January to March 7Awarenesson both field crops and produce, and how COVID-19 has affectedWave 2: March 8-21Pantry Loadingand shifted business during this unprecedented time.Wave 3: March 22 to April 18Quarantine Easter FlipWave 4: Post EasterNew BaselineConsumer Behavior Becomes Chaotic In Wave 1, we really began to see that obviously consumers ASTA hosted the Economic Outlook on the Seed Industry:were aware of COVID-19 in January, Lutz said. It was fairly and Produce Session, in which two experts shared their thoughtswidely talked about in the media, but we didnt really see the on the produce side of the seed industry, and how COVID-19change in behavior until the first week of March.8/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2020'