12 / SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2026 The resource has quickly grown beyond its Oregon roots. Today, companies across the United States use it, along with users in Canada, Europe and New Zealand. State regulatory agencies direct companies to it, universities use it as a teaching resource and new funding will allow the project to expand signifi cantly over the next two years. Fifty States, Fifty Different Rulebooks The Federal Seed Act establishes minimum labeling require ments for agricultural and vegetable seed sold in interstate commerce. That's only part of the story. Individual states can require additional information rang ing from arbitration statements and treated-seed language to relabeling requirements, expiration dates, font sizes and color specifications. Some define terms differently. Others establish unique requirements for particular crops or products. “There are federal requirements, but then every state may have additional requirements,” Withers says. “All the states have their own way of doing things, and while that is absolutely fine and fair, it does complicate things for the seed shipper just to make sure they’re on top of all those regulations. That’s what makes this really important. It’s all in one location rather than having to go to every state website.” Those differences create a significant workload for compa nies shipping seed nationwide. During development of the database, Withers reviewed every state’s seed laws and regulations, comparing each requirement against federal standards. What began as a project focused on core labeling requirements quickly uncovered layers of state- specific rules that weren’t included in the original grant. “We learned there’s also still a lot of other information that states regulate,” Withers says. Those discoveries helped shape the database’s next phase. Preventing Problems Before They Happen Sometimes the value of compliance only becomes obvious after something goes wrong. Withers recalls a seed company whose shipment to California was delayed because of a labeling issue. THE ACCIDENTAL SEED EXPERT Karen Withers never planned to build the seed industry’s go-to resource for labeling compliance. She simply kept saying yes to opportunities that stretched her. She knew she wanted to work in agriculture long before she knew the seed industry existed. Growing up on a small family farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, she dreamed of an international career. After earning a degree in international agricultural economics from Oregon State University, she landed a job managing bulk grain exports. It checked every box she had imagined. Seed came later — and almost by accident. After buying her first home, Withers admired the immaculate lawn across the street. Her neighbor noticed her attempts to recreate it and eventually wandered over carrying a bag of grass seed. He happened to be a turfgrass breeder. “No wonder I’ll never have a lawn as beautiful as this guy’s,” Withers remembers thinking. The conversation led to introductions within Oregon’s seed community and, eventually, a position with a local seed company. She spent the next 15 years managing international sales and exports while building relationships across the industry. Those relationships ultimately shaped the next chapter of her career. When her children were young, Withers made a difficult decision. She stepped away from a job she loved to spend more time with her family. “I wanted to spend more time with my kids as they were growing,” she says. She didn’t know what came next. Then the phone started ringing… and kept ringing. Former colleagues continued calling with technical questions about exports, phytosanitary certificates and international regulations. One finally suggested something she hadn’t considered. “Why don’t you start a business so I can pay you for this assistance?” In 2017, she launched AgCultured Consulting, LLC. “The defining moment of my career was taking a leap of faith to start AgCultured Consulting,” Withers says. “It allowed me to put my family first while creating a career built on the experience, relationships and reputation I had developed over the years. That decision became the foundation for every opportunity that followed.” Her advice to newcomers echoes the approach that shaped her own career. “Put yourself out there and say yes to opportunities that challenge you,” she says. She traces much of her professional growth to attending her first American Seed Trade Association meeting early in her career. “It introduced me to an incredible network of people, many of whom are still friends and colleagues today,” she says. “More importantly, it opened the door to industry activities beyond my day-to-day job, broadening my perspective and accelerating my professional growth.” Those experiences reinforced a lesson she still shares with young professionals. “Attend meetings, volunteer, ask questions and meet new people,” she says, adding that while, technical expertise opened doors, relationships have kept them open.
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