What does it all mean to the seed industry? Seed World sat down with ASTA’s Sam Crowell to talk about the current climate.
The word “tariff” might seem like a vague policy buzzword, but for those in the seed industry, it now comes with a steep price tag and a daily dose of uncertainty.
“In the short term, I think the hardest part for us all is navigating the uncertainty around timelines and scope of coverage,” says Sam Crowell, senior director of international programs and policy for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).
“On top of that, our trading partners are beginning to announce their own actions through retaliation,” he adds.
Since January, the U.S. administration has taken aggressive action by instituting a new round of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Crowell explains that unlike the tariffs introduced during the first Trump administration — which went through public comment and stakeholder feedback — this time, tariffs are rolling out via executive order with little warning.
“These tariffs effectively increase the cost of importing products by 25% across the board,” Crowell says.
“It’s happening almost overnight.”
What’s at Stake
For seed companies, the situation is more than a policy headache. It’s a logistical nightmare.
“We move product all over the world for seed production, seed cleaning, seed amplification, testing in different breeding environments,” Crowell says. “Effectively, every time that product crosses an international border, it is checked by a customs official, and they have to make a determination whether there’s a tariff imposed.”
That determination can carry serious consequences.
“If you were moving seed back and forth, in this case, between the U.S. and Canada or the U.S. and Mexico, you would have to take into account a 25% tariff rate on seed coming into the United States,” Crowell notes.
“Then if Canada or Mexico retaliate, you have to assess whether there’s additional tariffs going into their countries. So it gets quite expensive quite quickly.”
The uncertainty is also straining logistics.
“Several ASTA members have already shared with me that the queues at the Mexican and Canadian borders are longer than ever,” Crowell says.
“Everyone is racing to get their product into the United States before the April 2 exemption on tariffs expires.”
Not Just Big or Small — Everyone’s Hit
Crowell emphasizes that tariff impacts aren’t limited to one part of the industry.
“It’s impacting everyone,” he says. “Smaller companies that rely more heavily on Canadian and Mexican trade relationships in the short term are definitely very concerned. But that doesn’t mean that the tariffs, when they go into effect, won’t impact everyone. It’s just a matter of what proportion of your sales into a market are impacted.”
Crowell says ASTA has been working around the clock to provide updates to members, advocate for relief and coordinate with international partners.
“Since February, we’ve been sending out messages at least once a day, if not twice a day, to a wide range of ASTA members that are involved in trade in North America,” Crowell says. “We’re also really actively engaging here in D.C. with our counterparts in the federal government. We’re submitting requests for workarounds and communicating with elected officials on the Hill.”
Internationally, ASTA is in constant contact with peer organizations like Seeds Canada, the Mexican Seed Association (AMSAC) and Euroseeds.
“We’re very well coordinated,” he says. “We all have the same concerns. We’re all communicating to our governments about what these tariffs might mean for businesses.”
What Companies Can Do Now
Crowell encourages seed companies to share their stories and speak up.
“Please let us know what is happening at the border,” he says. “We wouldn’t know to communicate that out to the seed companies — that you need to be building in extra time — if we had not heard that from members.”
He also urges members to quantify the economic impact.
“I’ve heard examples anywhere from $300,000 within a single growing season for a seed company all the way up to several million, if not hundreds of millions on downstream products,” he says. “Just for tariffs in North America alone.”
Beyond that, Crowell says, pick up the phone.
“You can call your counterparts on the Hill,” he says. “You can write your members of Congress. You can reach out to the Department of Ag and tell them why this is such a scary prospect to do business. If that feels overwhelming, we are always happy to help.”
ASTA Leadership Summit: A Platform for Advocacy
ASTA will spotlight these issues at its upcoming Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., June 8–11.
“We will be doing a large visit to the Hill to meet with members of Congress and discuss a whole range of issues impacting the seed sector,” says Crowell.
“And I have no doubt this will be top of the list if things have not changed.”
As the April 2 tariff exemption deadline approaches, the pressure is on — and the seed industry is paying close attention.
