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January 19, 2007
Welcome to ASTA's electronic newsletter for members, allies and stakeholders. Please feel free to forward Seed E-News to others you believe might wish to subscribe. ASTA respects your privacy and does not share its mail lists with other parties. If you have received this publication in error, you may unsubscribe at the end of this page. Questions, comments and your industry news are welcome — contact Lisa Dry. Past issues can be viewed here . Quick Links • Future Seed Executives Announce 2007 Calendar
Biotech Plantings Expand 13% in 2006
Farmers around the world continued to adopt biotech crops at a double-digit rate in 2006, with an increase in planted acreage of 13 percent over 2005. According to a report released this week by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri- Biotech Applications (ISAAA), more than 252 million acres were planted by more than 10 million farmers in 22 countries. More than 9.3 million farmers growing the biotech crops were “small, resource-poor farmers from the developing world, allowing biotechnology to make a modest contribution to the alleviation of their poverty,” according to Clive James, chairman and founder of ISAAA and author of the report. By 2015, ISAAA predicts more than 20 million farmers will plant nearly 500 million acres of biotech crops in about 40 countries. The United States and Brazil led the world in planted acreage. India had the most substantial percentage increase at 192 percent, or an additional 6 million acres, to reach a total exceeding 9.1 million acres, thus becoming the fifth largest producer of biotech crops in the world, surpassing China for the first time. James noted that, “The commercialization of biotech rice alone could drive adoption of biotech crops well beyond the conservative estimate of 20 million farmers up to 80 million farmers. This is based on an adoption rate of one third by the world’s 250 million rice farmers, most of whom are small resource-poor farmers, 90 percent of whom are in Asia. Biotech rice with insect resistance to enhance yields could make a substantial impact on the UN Millennium Development goal of reducing poverty by half by 2015, and golden rice with enhanced vitamin A could improve nutrition significantly,” James said.
ASTA Announces Spring 2007 Workshop with APHIS Join APHIS officials at the upcoming ASTA-APHIS workshop, March 22 at USDA in Washington, DC. This one-day workshop will serve as an opportunity for ASTA members to interact with APHIS officials and decision-makers on phytosanitary issues. Past workshops have included topics such as: APHIS Permitting Process; seed, pests and pathogens; soybean rust, pest risk analyses (PRAs) for Brazil & China; issues on the movement of seed to and from Mexico, Korea and Argentina; ASTA – APHIS communications; National Seed Health System and the National Plant Diagnostic Network/Homeland Security. For more information contact Alexis Ellicott at (703) 837-8140. ASTA Meets with Industry Allies This week ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne met with executive committee members of The Fertilizer Institute during their meeting in Washington. The purpose was to identify issues of overlapping interest in the political and regulatory arenas where the groups can work together. Group Examines Challenges for Biotech Specialty Crops ASTA’s Bernice Slutsky participated in a two-day session jointly sponsored by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) this week in Washington. The group was asked to identify how the regulation of biotech specialty crops might differ from major commodity crops in the areas of science, level of risk, or benefits. Industry representatives, academicians and other stakeholders shared information that will be synthesized into a report published later this year. For more information, contact Bernice Slutsky. > Information on the Pew Initiative Seed Biology, Production & Quality Course Offered at SBC The Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC) and UC Davis Extension will offer a two-day course February 21-22 for professionals in the seed industry, crop consultants and growers. The curriculum will cover industry fundamentals and the most current research information on seed development, production, harvesting, conditioning, storage, enhancement and quality assessment. Instructors include: Dr. Derek Bewley, University of Guelph; Dr. Hiro Nonogaki, Oregon State University; and University of California, Davis’ Dr. Kent Bradford, Dr. Robert Gilbertson and Dr. Allen Van Deynze. For more information and to register online, go to the SBC, or contact Sue Webster, Program Representative, Seed Biotechnology Center, at 530-754-7333.
Industry News Dr. John Sinclair Rogers, a long- time member of ASTA (retired) passed away this week. John worked with the Asgrow Seed Company for over 20 years and was a past Chairman of ASTA's Corn and Sorghum Committee. In recent years he served as a consultant for the Douglas King Seed Company of San Antonio, Texas. > Obituary
Upcoming Industry Events National Alfalfa Alliance Northwest Alfalfa Seed Growers Association Annual Convention Arkansas Seed Dealer Association Winter Meeting Arizona Crop Improvement AssociationAnnual Meeting Wisconsin Agri-Service Association 13th Annual Convention and Trade Show ASTA 46th Annual Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference
Click here for a schedule of additional industry events
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Grain Handler's Database • Seed Quality Management • CSS 2008 & Seed Expo • 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference • 125th Annual Convention |