b'Tariffs, Trust and Trilateral TiesInside the seed sectors high-stakes fight to keep North American trade working.By Aimee Nielson, Seed World U.S. EditorITS EASY TOforget how seamlessly seed flows acrossThe panel members say thats not just bad news for North Americauntil the flow gets pinched. seed companies trying to protect thin margins. Its a threat At the 2025 ASTA Leadership Summit, trade took centerto farmers who rely on timely access to the best genetics stage as representatives from all three countries under theand technologies.U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) gathered withWere looking at a 25% tariff for non-USMCA-origin moderator and ASTAs director of international programsseed even if its just transiting through Mexico or Canada, and policy Sam Crowell for a frank conversation about tar- Crowell says.iffs, regulation, innovation and whats at stake for the seedJason Hafemeister, acting associate administrator for sector if collaboration falters. the U.S. Department of Agricultures Foreign Agricultural The message? Seed trade may not always make head- Service, didnt downplay the moment:linesbut it underpins food security, economic stabilityThis isnt the environment we were in 10 years ago, he and innovation pipelines across the continent. And its undersays.Now, trade is being driven by a different set of priori-more pressure than ever. tiesfairness, strategic independence, revenue genera-tion. Agriculture isnt leading the conversation, but were A Small but Mighty Sector definitely feeling it.Over $1.7 billion in seed exports left the U.S. in 2024, Crowell says. That might sound like a small sliver of agDeep Roots, Strong Tiesexports, but those exports support nearly $170 billion inFor Carlos Vanderloo, Minister-Counsellor for Economic overall ag trade. We like to say were small but mighty. and Trade Policy at the Canadian Embassy to the United Crowell paints a picture of a highly mobile seed system:States, the resilience of U.S.-Canada seed trade comes products that move across borders multiple times for breed- from decades of trust and interdependence.ing, testing, seed treatments, coating, priming, and final sale.We do $600 million-plus in bilateral seed trade every The complexity means even a subtle shift in trade policy yearthats not pocket change, he says. Canada imports or a misstep in regulatory alignmentcan ripple throughmost of its vegetable seed from the U.S., and we send a lot the entire supply chain. of forages and grasses. Its complementary, its stable and it Just because you produce seed in one location and re- keeps food on our tables.export it through another doesnt mean you automaticallyVanderloo noted that while seeds dont come up in every qualify for a lower tariff rate, he explains. There are rules ofag conversation, their role has grownespecially with the origin, documentation requirements, and timelines that canpressure of climate change. How do you farm when its trip you up. Its not always intuitiveand were in a momentpouring rain in Winnipeg, but your cabins on fire (in a severe where all of that is about to get harder. drought) two hours north? Seed innovation is critical.The Tariff Tangle A Caution from the SouthIf current U.S. negotiations dont yield agreements, manyCarlos Vazquez Ochoa, Agricultural Minister at Mexicos seed imports will jump from a flat 10% tariff to country- Embassy to the United States, brought a layered perspec-specific ratesas high as 55% in Chinas case. tivebalancing optimism with concern.12/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2025'