The purpose of the Heritage Award is to preserve and build history, honor, and recognize individuals who have significantly impacted ASTA and the seed industry and to inspire the next generation of leaders, and instill a sense of pride in the rich history of the seed industry and ASTA.

In the nearly 140 years that ASTA has been in operation, the seed industry has seen tremendous change and growth. So much of the present and future can be understood by looking back. ASTA has been fortunate to serve members who have contributed to the seed trade industry, an industry that affects every living being on the planet, and one that is essential to the health, happiness and economic security of every community. It is important to acknowledge and respect those that have demonstrated their passion and values to grow better seed to produce better crops for a better quality of life.

Learn About the Nomination Process

Heritage Awards

2026
Dr. Robb Fraley
Dr. Robb Fraley

Dr. Robert (Robb) Fraley is the former executive vice president and chief technology officer at Monsanto Company. Also a World Food Prize Laureate, he is widely recognized as a key contributor to the worldwide science and agriculture communities – most notably, for developing the first genetically modified crops (often referred…Read More

John Deere
John Deere

John Deere was a blacksmith who developed the first commercially successful, self-scouring steel plow in 1837 and founded the company that still bears his name. Deere was born in 1804 in Rutland, Vermont. After his father was lost at sea when he was four years old, Deere was raised solely…Read More

2025
Nathan Boardman

Leadership was always a part of Nathan Boardman and who he was. His leadership began at an early age in Lamesa, Texas, by being President of his Junior and Senior class in high school. He was also an FFA officer which led him to choose Texas A&M University. While at…Read More

Gary Arthur

Gary’s life was a testament to passion, dedication, and leadership in the seed industry. With an unwavering enthusiasm for agricultural advancement, he dedicated his career to fostering innovation and strengthening global seed trade. Earning his bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences from Southern Illinois University, Gary’s…Read More

Wayne Skidmore

Wayne Skidmore was a visionary leader whose career was marked by dedication, innovation, and unwavering commitment to the agricultural industry. Born in Lucas, Iowa, he cultivated a lifelong passion for business and leadership, earning his degree in accounting from Drake University in 2933 before furthering his education at Harvard University’s…Read More

2024
John Gerard
John Gerard

John Gerard has been dedicated to and a leader in the seed industry most of his career. John grew up on a small livestock, grain, and dairy farm outside of Delphi, Indiana, where he met his future wife, Marta. After graduating from Delphi, John attended Purdue University, graduating with a…Read More

Dr. Harold Loden
Dr. Harold Loden

Born in Georgia, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees, Loden served in WWII. After the war, he was assigned to manage the Agriculture Experiment Stations in South Korea. Loden earned a PhD in Plant Genetics at Texas A&M in 1949. He worked first as a cotton breeder for Anderson, Clayton &…Read More

2023
Bill Latham, Latham Seeds, Inc.
Bill Latham, Latham Seeds, Inc.

Bill Latham, born in 1941, was raised on a grain and livestock farm in north central Iowa. He is a 1963 graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in agronomy, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and initiated into Alpha Zeta agricultural honor society. For…Read More

Dr. Richard “Dick” Crowder
Richard Crowder

Dick Crowder has spent more than 50 years in senior executive and policy positions in the food and agriculture industry, advancing the interests of farmers, ranchers, and the industries that produce food and fiber. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University…Read More

2022
W. Atlee Burpee
W. Atlee Burpee headshot

In 1876, W. Atlee Burpee made the decision that would change American gardens forever. Atlee established his own mail-order poultry and livestock company. When his livestock customers told him that they needed a reliable source for quality seed, he obliged. In his second year of business, he reshaped his enterprise…Read More

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