Pure Seed at the 2026 ASTA Leadership Summit

j

Earlier this month, Pure Seed's Lucas Solis and Crystal Ficker traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to represent Pure Seed at the 2026 ASTA Leadership Summit, joining the seed industry professionals from across the country for three days of learning, advocacy, and connection.

Lucas was featured as a speaker on the "Bridging the Gap: What New Talent and Managers Need from Each Other" panel, a dual-perspective session that brought together experienced managers and early-career professionals on the same stage. The conversation went beyond hiring, diving into the day-to-day realities of onboarding, communication, feedback, and retention. Rather than speaking about each other, both groups engaged directly in a candid exchange about expectations, common disconnects, and how to build stronger working relationships. It was exactly the kind of honest dialogue that moves the industry forward.

The summit also featured sessions on mental health in agriculture, AI's growing role in the seed industry, and an advocacy session focused on finding and using your voice with lawmakers and policymakers. An awards luncheon recognized outstanding professionals across the industry, and the event wrapped up with a strategic planning session shaping ASTA's direction in the years ahead.

Events like the ASTA Leadership Summit are an important part of how we invest in our team and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of the seed industry. We're proud to have Lucas and Crystal representing Pure Seed and contributing to those discussions.