Michelle Klieger is the president of Stratagerm Consulting, a food and agricultural consulting firm.
An economist and a business strategist, she works with the global seed industry, ag tech companies, conventional and non-conventional agriculture firms, and philanthropic foundations. Taking her around the world, her work helps industry leaders manage and grow their global businesses.
She helps clients find, access, and leverage funding and financing to support their vision of a more economically and environmentally sustainable system.
Her work includes researching and understanding the underlying constraints, developing alternatives, and evaluating the economic impact of those changes.
Michelle’s passion for supporting small and medium sized producers and agribusinesses led to the creation of her podcast, The Grower & The Economist, which provides listeners with relevant and practical economic and business advice. She is the author of The Demise of Free Trade, and a professor of Economics at Bentley University. She holds a Master of Science in Agriculture Economics from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Why she serves on the Seed World U.S. editorial board: “From the outside, the seed industry looks small, we are one little sector within a large industry. But inside the seed industry, there are so many different types of expertise and understanding other parts of the industry is so important for individual and company success. Many people only know their one tiny piece of the industry and Seed World can provide the bigger picture and still be seed industry-specific.”
What do you love about the seed industry?
The impact that the seed industry can have on the broader food and agricultural sectors. The seeds and genetics have a huge impact on production, distribution, and end consumers. Most people don’t understand that.
What do you see as a big opportunity for the seed industry in the future?
The seed industry can continue to tell its story and drive innovation.
