And… that’s a wrap on North America’s biggest seed industry event of the year, the American Seed Trade Association’s Field Crop Seed Convention. Here’s what Seed World is taking home from sunny Orlando, Florida, and a last look North America’s biggest seed industry conference of the year.
If there are two words to describe the 2024 ASTA Field Crop Seed Convention, those words are connection and communication. Orlando brought together 1080 registrants for an intensive three and a half days of meetings, sessions, partnership discussions and more. The prevailing mood amongst attendees at the FCSC was one of optimism — admittedly cautious in some cases, but optimism none the less.
Connection First and Foremost
As ag economist Dan Basse emphasized in his sobering global economic forecast session, American farmers are facing significant headwinds, with more challenges on the near-term horizon. Still, opportunity exists across the seed value chain for those who can build effective partnerships, leverage creativity in their strategic planning, and advocate effectively. Relationships built and reinforced are more critical now than ever. Working together across disciplines and in creative ways was highlighted repeatedly throughout the conference as key to tackling challenges and driving progress. After all, while our business may be seed, the heart of this industry is connection: people connecting people.
For many, the highlight of the convention was the opportunity to connect with peers. Meeting old friends and forming new relationships served as a source of inspiration and optimism. “This week is a reminder of the incredible creativity and resilience of this industry,” said Seed World President Shawn Brook. “Events like this show the strength of our community and the power of collaboration: those are what will propel this industry forward.”
Policy and Advocacy in Focus
Policy discussions both formal and informal were front and centre throughout the week, particularly regarding the new Trump administration, the draft Farm Bill and their combined potential impacts on the seed industry, from research funding to trade policies. ASTA leaders encouraged attendees to remain engaged in advocacy efforts, emphasizing the importance of a unified voice in shaping agricultural policy. Once again, that’s a reminder of the critical importance of the seed industry owning its own narrative by actively telling its story. If you didn’t catch Insider of the Year Jim Schweigert’s thoughts on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of owning a narrative, check it out here.
Innovation Leads the Way
Innovation also took center stage throughout the FCSC, with sessions showcasing advancements in precision breeding, digital agriculture, and biological seed treatments. We caught up with one of the big thinkers in biologicals, Jord BioScience’s Keri Carstens, for a chat about what’s ahead in that sector. Check that quick walk and talk out here.
While the 2024 ASTA Field Crop Seed Convention has now officially wrapped up, the insights and energy from the event will continue to inspire conversations — and business partnerships and seed sector growth, too — into the new year and beyond. Whether you’re revisiting FCSC highlights or catching up on what you missed in Orlando, we’ve got you covered. Throughout the week, we captured the Convention’s highest impact moments and critical industry insights through exclusive interviews and live coverage. Check them out here www.seedworld.com and in our Seed World Daily e-newsletters.
As we close out this year’s Convention, final thanks go to Corteva Agriscience for partnering with Seed World Group on the Seed World Media Centre. We value their dedication to supporting an informed and effective seed industry! Thanks also to ASTA for organizing and hosting the FCSC 2024: your hard work is seen and appreciated!
Until next year, Orlando! Here are a few last photos to usher us out the door:
