ASTA session speakers from both sides of the aisle talk the challenge of feeding the world and doing more with less.
With the United States facing a transition in leadership, how can the seed industry navigate the changing political landscape, particularly as President Biden concludes his term and President Trump prepares for a second?
Janae Brady, vice president of government affairs for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), moderated a session titled Ballots to Bills at the ASTA Field Crop Seed Convention. The session brought together former Trump and Biden administration agricultural advisors to discuss the intersection of policy, innovation and the future of agriculture.
Brady guided the discussion, with perspectives from Rod Snyder, senior advisor for agriculture at the EPA, and Gregg Doud, former chief ag negotiator in President Trump’s first term, on the pressing issues facing the industry — from global trade to sustainability and biotechnology.
As the U.S. prepares for a new presidential administration, the agriculture sector is at a crossroads. The upcoming transition from President Biden’s administration to a second term under President Trump promises to bring significant shifts in policy, especially in the realms of trade, technology and regulatory efficiency. At the heart of these discussions is the seed industry — a centerpiece of agricultural innovation and a key player in the global market.
Building Bridges
Snyder, reflecting on his time with the EPA, began by acknowledging the deep divides that often exist between federal agencies and farmers.
“EPA is not always the most popular federal agency in farm country,” he admitted, but quickly followed up with some optimism. “We worked hard to make sure that EPA’s decisions were informed by experts across ag and rural communities.”
Snyder’s tenure saw the creation of the first permanent Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs within the agency — an effort to give farmers a constant seat at the table in regulatory discussions.
“This office will live on, regardless of administration,” he stated, emphasizing its importance for future collaborations.
Snyder also pointed to the growth of domestic markets for renewable fuels as a significant achievement.
“The Biden administration finalized the largest volumes in the history of the renewable fuel standard,” he said, adding that the three-year trajectory set by the administration aimed to strengthen farm economies by boosting demand for American-grown biofuels.
A Sharp Focus on Trade and Technology
For Gregg Doud, the road ahead is paved with trade deals — small, medium and large.
“We’re going to get back in business on trade,” he said.
Doud believes that the next four years will see an explosion of trade agreements, particularly in Asia, North America and Latin America.
“There’s still a lot of things back and forth,” he said, but stated that the overarching message is clear: “No one gets access to U.S. markets without playing by our rules.”
He said technology is the key to ensuring global competitiveness in agriculture. He emphasized that U.S. agricultural technology is a global asset that needs to be nurtured through faster regulatory approvals.
“The U.S. government must operate at the speed of commerce to commercialize new technologies,” Doud argued. “If we can’t do that, investment will go elsewhere.”
A Call to Action in Efficiency and Regulation
As discussions turned to efficiency in the regulatory system, both Snyder and Doud agreed that a major reform is necessary. Snyder pointed out that the underfunding of critical programs, such as the biotech framework at the EPA, is a significant barrier.
“For many years, EPA has been grossly underfunded,” he said, stressing that Congress needs to allocate more resources to support the growing pace of innovation. Without proper funding, the regulatory system simply cannot keep up with the volume of new products waiting for approval.
Doud echoed Snyder’s concerns, arguing that regulatory hurdles must be aligned with the risk involved.
“If you have lower-risk technologies, why not lower the barriers to entry?” he asked. “We should be simplifying processes where we can.”
Biotechnology and Global Trade
When the conversation turned to biotechnology and its future under a potential second Trump administration, Doud painted a clear picture.
“Agriculture’s future is tied to technology,” he said. “We need global cooperation to ensure that biotech innovations are approved and commercialized quickly.” He pointed to the historic Phase One trade agreement with China, which he helped negotiate. “We fixed 57 things in our agricultural relationship with China. One of the biggest hurdles was addressing biotechnology regulations, and we got China to agree to a 20-day approval process for biotech traits.”
Snyder, however, was quick to remind the group that biotech is not a one-size-fits-all issue.
“It’s about finding common ground,” he said, stressing the importance of working with international partners to overcome regulatory barriers and encourage the adoption of new technologies. “The U.S. and China are the two largest economies in the world—we need to be talking every day.”
The Importance of Trusting Science
As the panel moved into a broader conversation on sustainability and the role of science, both speakers voiced concerns about the public’s growing distrust of scientific institutions.
“We’re facing a moment of mistrust in science,” Snyder warned, noting that this skepticism poses a major challenge for the agricultural sector. “Without public trust in science, it will be hard to achieve the innovation necessary to feed a growing global population.”
“We can’t let politics bleed into science,” Doud said. “The role of agencies like EPA and USDA is to allow scientists to do their jobs without political interference.”
He added that the agriculture sector must continue to advocate for science-based decision-making, especially as the public debate around climate change, biotechnology, and food safety rages on.
Regenerative Agriculture and the Seed Industry
The conversation turned to the trending topic of regenerative agriculture. Both speakers agreed that the term is often misunderstood.
“Regenerative agriculture isn’t new,” Doud said. “My 85-year-old father would laugh if he heard the term. We’ve been doing this for decades.”
But it’s more than just a catchphrase—it’s an opportunity for farmers to be rewarded for practices they’ve been using for years.
“Farmers are already doing this. They’ve been regenerating the soil for decades,” Snyder agreed. “What’s new is figuring out how to make it profitable and how to define what regenerative agriculture really means.”
Doud acknowledged the ongoing work needed to standardize these practices and ensure they’re measurable.
“The key to making this work is data,” he explained. “We need to be able to measure the benefits of these practices, and that’s where government and the private sector need to collaborate.”
Through the discussion both speakers agreed that the next four years hold both challenges and immense opportunities for the seed industry. Whether through advancing biotechnology, navigating global trade agreements, or ensuring that sustainability efforts are economically viable, the seed sector’s role in shaping the future of agriculture has never been more critical. And as the industry looks to the future, it will need to rely on science, technology and the continued support of policymakers to thrive in an increasingly complex global landscape.
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