GermiNation
Welcome to GermiNation—the podcast where seeds tell their stories. I’m your host, Cindy Hicks, coming to you from the Iowa State University Seed Science Center, a global leader in seed research, education, and outreach. Each episode, we dig into the beauty, wonder, and science of seeds—those tiny powerhouses at the heart of agriculture, biodiversity, and global food security. Through conversations with scientists, farmers, industry leaders, and changemakers around the world, we explore how seeds connect us, sustain us, and shape our future. This is GermiNation—where every great story starts with a seed.
Episodes
Today on GermiNation, we're exploring one of the most innovative approaches in modern crop production: relay cropping. Researchers at Iowa State University are studying how farmers can maximize productivity by growing multiple crops in the same season while improving soil health and creating new revenue streams.
Today on GermiNation, we're exploring one of the most innovative approaches in modern crop production: relay cropping. Researchers at Iowa State University are studying how farmers can maximize productivity by growing multiple crops in the same season while improving soil health and creating new revenue streams.
What does the new Farm Bill mean for the future of the U.S. seed industry? On this episode of GermiNation, host Cindy Hicks sits down with Janae Brady, Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), to break down one of the most important policy discussions impacting agriculture today.
Brady shares insights from her experience working on Capitol Hill and helping negotiate portions of the ...
As she prepares to retire, Susana Goggi reflects on a remarkable career shaping the science—and the people—behind seed technology.
In this episode of GermiNation, Dr. Goggi shares how she found her way into seed physiology, the evolution of the field, and why seed scientists are more critical than ever in the face of climate change and global food security challenges. From ensuring seed quality to understanding the full...
What does it take for a family seed company to thrive for more than 80 years in an industry increasingly dominated by global giants?
In this episode of GermiNation, host Cindy Hicks sits down with Jim Schweigert, President of Gro Alliance and new Adjunct Instructor and an alumnus of Iowa State University’s Seed Technology and Business (STB) graduate program. Jim shares the story of Gro Alliance, a third-generation family bus...
What does it really take to become a Registered Seed Technologist (RST), and why does the credential matter more than ever?
In this episode of GermiNation, we sit down with two leaders who know the RST journey inside and out: Jessica Blake, Seed Quality Labs Manager at the Iowa State University Seed Science Center, and Quinn Gillespie, President of the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists.
Together, they break down the path to ...
In this episode of GermiNation, We explore the seeds that connect us - we’re taking you to the Seed Savers Exchange annual conference and 50th anniversary celebration for conversations with leaders working to preserve and protect seed diversity:
We talk to Bonnetta Adeeb – Founding member of Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance and Ujamaa Seeds, on the importance of African Indigenous seeds. www.ujammaseeds.com
...Today, we’re joined by Dr. Scott Heuchelin, the new director of Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center. An ISU alum with over 20 years of experience in seed health and global regulatory policy, Dr. Heuchelin returns to campus after leading international phytosanitary efforts at Corteva Agriscience. Now, he’s guiding the Center into its next chapter of innovation and global agricultural impact.
Music courtesy ...
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