Coming into the seed industry in 2012, Ashley Harlow, LG Seeds business manager, shares what drives her and what she enjoys about FuSE.
Seed World: Favorite book?
Ashley Harlow: I am not sure I have a favorite book, but one that I find captivating is “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. They take their real-life events as U.S. Navy SEAL officers and apply them to an everyday corporate setting. It is a stark reminder of what is truly at risk in our day-to-day struggles compared to leading a team through combat.
SW: If you could live anywhere, where would you choose?
AH: I am a central Indiana native. This is where my roots are. Being close to family and raising my children in a rural community with the same values my husband and I were allotted growing up means more to me than any beach-front property.
SW: Favorite season?
AH: Fall! The leaves, crisp autumn air, smell of pumpkin spice, and the best part — the weather.
SW: How did you get into agriculture?
AH: I am lucky enough to come from a long line of farmers — my father’s side six generations and my mother’s side at least four. My sister and I grew up on a row crop farm where we spent summers showing livestock and winters farrowing a small set of sows. Our hobby consisted of scooping manure, dealing with shortfalls, studying and selecting the best genetics and calculating and formulating the best inputs to create the most rewarding outcome, while on a budget. (Sound familiar?) It taught me failure, it developed my drive, it blossomed my passion, it embedded an undeniable determination all while carrying out a legacy.
SW: What one thing do you wish you knew coming into the job?
AH: There is an unlimited amount of information that can influence the seed industry from political views to how a piece of code is written. If I were forced to choose one thing, I wish I would have taken an agronomy course in college.
SW: Best part about working with FuSE?
AH: The opportunity to see our industry at a macro-level. My favorite event was the trip to Washington, D.C., … To be in a room with fierce competitors all rallying around a united cause is a compelling experience.
SW: No.1 priority for the upcoming year at LG Seeds?
AH: Simple, our customers. They are why we’re here.
