The seed industry is the foundation of American agriculture, but as a generation of seed industry professionals nears retirement, the pipeline of properly trained agronomists is alarmingly small.
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of Agronomy and Horticulture is working to close that gap with the Seed Industry Scholars program, an innovative scholarship program combining specialized coursework in seed science with experiential learning opportunities.
A critical, invisible gap
The idea for a structured talent pipeline into the seed industry first surfaced during a Nebraska Crop Improvement Association board meeting. The conversation struck a personal chord for Steven Pageler, manager of the NCIA, as members discussed how many agronomists eventually work in the seed industry without formal training, and what kind of educational avenues they could offer students to actively pursue a seed science career.
“I never knew that a resource like NCIA even existed when I was student in the department,” Pageler said. “Students have no idea the range of resources or seed career opportunities available to them.”
Building SIS: Three threads, one program
The SIS program began with the aspirations of Kelsey McCullough, online lecturer in seed science and entrepreneurship in the department and the Engler Entrepreneurship program.
“Buying seed is the most important investment decision a producer makes each season, yet the university lacks opportunities for agronomists to specialize in seed science,” McCullough said. “Without proper training, there’s no one to offer advice to farmers and producers.”
As part of her masters project at the university, she created The Science of Variety Selection and Seed Industry Enterprises. The two classes feature relevant activities and lessons based on the expertise of Extension educators and seed industry professionals.
The SIS program is built around a framework that Donald J. Lee, professor emeritus of agronomy and horticulture, uses to describe the industry: “upstream” work (aspects like genetics and variety development) and “downstream” work (aspects like sales, marketing and logistics).
“As an online lecturer, I encourage students to get away from the screen and apply what they learn in the field,” McCullough said. “It’s difficult to conceptualize what you’re learning without the proper outlets.”
McCullough’s academic threads tied together with an existing internship program built by Anne Streich, professor of practice and PLAS undergraduate advisor, and five $1500 scholarships provided by the NCIA, allowing the SIS program to launch this summer.
Seeing the industry firsthand
Success depends heavily on participation from industry partners. Lee personally contacted almost 200 seed industry professionals to gauge interest in hosting students for their summer internships.
“All five of our students completed downstream internships this summer,” Streich said. “So, to expose them to the upstream aspect of the industry we organized a two-day field tour that connected them with breeding and production companies in Nebraska.”
On July 20, the group visited Rob-See-Co’s test plots at the Husker Harvest Days location to learn about the company’s genetics, seed products and starter fertilizer and spray tank formulas. The students also watched a drone spray demonstration, along with an overview of the company’s sales strategies and customer relationships.
In the afternoon, they toured production facilities and test plots of Green Cover — one of the nation’s largest cover crop suppliers — to see how a seed mix’s value is determined by different cover crop species and research trials.
The next day, students spent the morning with Corteva Agriscience’s research team learning about plant breeding, data analysis, hybrid testing and seed advancement, then toured a seed production field in the afternoon to learn about topics ranging from safety protocols to how seed moves from field to bag. The day closed with a visit to Tomes Farm, where Schyler Tomes explained how he contracts with Corteva to harvest, transport and store hybrid seed corn.
Nick Daberkow, a junior majoring in agronomy with a minor in agricultural business, grew up in West Point, Nebraska, but didn’t live on a farm like many of his peers. The field tour helped confirm his interests and is helping him build a genuine passion for agriculture while connecting with like-minded peers and industry professionals.
Daberkow said he was surprised by how many different people, small details and amount of planning go into seed production.
“There’s a lot that companies go through to stay competitive and ensure risk management and smooth production,” Daberkow said. “I’m a very visual learner, so the field experiences make the information we’re learning in the classroom much more engaging and easier to grasp.”
What’s next for SIS?
The cohort is entering its academic component at the start of the fall 2026 semester with Seed Industry Enterprises, followed by the The Science of Variety Selection in spring 2027, when applications for the program’s second cohort will open.
Streich says they’re actively looking to secure funding to expand future cohorts before converting the program into a minor. McCullough is working to broaden the program’s reach; she wants to draw students not only in agricultural disciplines but those in entrepreneurship and business pathways. Currently, she’s reworking courses for future delivery to include less common, high value Nebraska commodity crops, statistics and financial analysis so any student sees the program as applicable to their career interests.
“If you’re an agronomy student — or a high schooler interested in studying agronomy — I can’t recommend this program enough,” Daberkow said. "It's letting me discover which areas of agriculture interest me the most."
