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February 20 , 2008
ASTA Implements Enhanced Membership Database. In order to serve its members in a more efficient manner, ASTA has made several enhancements to its membership database. One of those enhancements includes the ability for individuals to update both their company and individual records through the members' only Web site. This member records update process is unfolding in two steps. First, company representatives were recently contacted to update the primary information for each member company including the addition of new employees and the removal of former employees. Each company representative should have already received an instructional email regarding this process. If you are a company representative and did not receive this email or have additional questions, please contact Jason Laney. The second phase of this process will allow each individual to update his or her personal record. In the next few weeks, an email will be sent which includes instructions on how to update personal information in the database. Having the most accurate database possible will enable the association to serve all of its members in the most effective manner, while at the same time expanding its grass roots legislative activities. Please contact Jason Laney if you have any questions or suggestions regarding this process.
Spread Your Company's Word Through ASTA's On-line Classified Ads. One of the benefits to ASTA members is the ability to post classified ads on the ASTA Web site. There are three categories of classifieds: Employment, For Sale and Wanted to Buy. To see a current listing of classified ads, please click here. If you have something that you would like to have posted, please contact Barbara Surian with the information. Ads must include open and close dates as well as a contact person with their relevant information. Most ads are usually posted the same day they are received.
First FuSE Round Table Discussion Group of 2008 to Focus on Succession Planning
As many baby boomers in the current workforce approach retirement age, it is essential that companies of all sizes have a strategic succession plan in place to deal with this impending transition. Recognizing this as a critical issue facing many companies in the seed industry, ASTA's Future Seed Executives (FuSE) will hold its first 2008 Round Table Discussion Group (RTDG) conference call on succession planning on Mar. 4 at 10 a.m. Central Time. The RTDG is part of a series of quarterly conference calls moderated by senior industry members and is aimed at educating future seed executives on events and topics in the seed industry. The call will be moderated by Larry Hollar, Chairman of Hollar Seeds, who has written several books and guides on business transition. Holding true to the roundtable format, new topics can be introduced for discussion by those on the call and interaction is highly encouraged. The cost to participate on the call is $10 per person ($15 for non-ASTA members). Upon registration, the call-in number and pass-code will be issued. Click here to download the registration form. Please contact Jason Laney for more information. To facilitate group interaction, the calls will be limited to 12 participants, so early registration is encouraged. For more information on FuSE, visit www.futureseedexecutives.com.
Seed Expo Right of First Refusal Deadline Coming Up Quickly! Mar. 31, 2008, will mark the Right of First Refusal Deadline for the 2008 Seed Expo being held Dec. 9 - 12, 2008, in Chicago, Ill. Registration as an exhibitor before the Mar. 31 deadline guarantees the exhibitor the same booth number held at the 2007 Seed Expo. Please contact Nikki Clifford via email at NClifford@amseed.org or call her directly (Tel: (571) 431-7331) with any questions or to request a registration form. Many thanks for your support of the industry and ASTA conferences!
ASTA Keeps Close Watch as Congress Considers 2008 Farm Bill ASTA is carefully monitoring the progress of the 2008 farm bill deliberations. The U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate will work to make necessary improvements to the revenue program outlined in the House conference proposal, which:
On a conference call Feb. 12, Representatives Peterson and Goodlatte said they had bipartisan support in the House for the farm bill. Both expressed an inability in working with the Senate to arrive at a bill that the president and the administration can agree on by Mar. 15 when the current farm bill extension expires. At issue is how much money above the Congressional Budget Office baseline that the farm bill can exceed. ASTA remains optimistic that the House and Senate will iron out the differences between their bills and arrive at an agreement the administration will support.
USDA's Agriculture Projections Provide Glimpse Forward The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its annual agricultural sector projections looking ahead to 2017, predicting stabilizing food inflation, increased corn acreage and continued increase in corn yields. "Each year, USDA revises its long-range projections, which gives members of ASTA and the entire agricultural community a snapshot of where they think the industry is heading over the next 10 years," said ASTA Vice President for Government Affairs Leslie Cahill. According to USDA, acreage planted for corn will drop slightly to 88 million this year, but will rebound in 2009, and continue in the range of 91 million to 93 million acres through 2017. Average yield per acre will continue to rise to 173.3 bushels by 2017, the department projects. Livestock demand will continue to grow over this forecast. Likewise, ethanol demand will grow steadily to 4.9 billion bushels, or 33 percent of total use by 2017. Further, corn exports are projected to decline slightly over the next several years, but will begin to gradually rise to 2.475 billion bushels by 2017. Ending stocks will range between 1.897 billion (2007-08) and 1.202 billion (2009-10) bushels. After increasing 4 percent this year, consumer prices for food will gradually slow to 2.2 percent annual growth by 2011-17. Click here for a link to the report.
Native Plant Material Directive Released The Forest Service released a final directive on native plant materials. This new policy was developed as no previous policy existed for the use of native plants, with the exception of reforestation. Recognizing the essential role native plant communities play in ecosystem health, the Forest Service brought together natural resource professionals from the National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, and Research and Development to develop an invasive species policy. Designed as one of the components in the implementation of Chief Abigail Kimbell's priorities to combat invasive species and facilitate wildland restoration, this policy promotes the use of native plant materials within Forest Service lands and will be followed by all Forest Service units in the selection, development and procurement of native plant materials. Please click here to find more details about the policy on the ASTA Web site.
ASTA Files Letter with Vermont Attorney General Last week, ASTA filed a statement with the Vermont Attorney General's office to provide comments on a rule being considered by the VermontAgency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) that affects the state's seed law. ASTA members met with representatives from the Vermont agencies in December to discuss the rules as they were being drafted. The technical assistance provided by ASTA during these sessions was readily accepted, which was then incorporated into the document. Initially, the draft singled out small vegetable seed packets with special rules for labeling of genetically engineered seed. After consideration of the seed industry's perspective, small packet seeds were no longer to be segregated under the rules. That determination eliminates the necessity to establish a dividing line for marketing collaterals that would be inconsistent with other states. The agency also agreed to include language to support the 15-month sell-by provision for cool season grasses. Although comments provided by ASTA were substantially positive, ASTA made reference to the definition of the term genetic engineering (GE) from Vermont statutes. ASTA felt that the term was technically incorrect and could present difficulties for seed distribution within the state if interpreted literally. VAAFM does not have the authority to change the definition, which will require a legislative action. ASTA's comments were designed to alert the agency to the issue and offer assistance when appropriate. The ongoing exchange of information from the seed industry will certainly open the discussion channels for future proposals by the state. A copy of the letter, which includes the arguments for the GE definition changes, is available on the ASTA Web site. Click here for a link to the letter.
U.S. Sorghum Seed Growers Seek Relief from Mexico's Testing Requirements for Ergot For many years U.S. seed companies have been exporting hybrid sorghum seed to Mexico. In the mid-1990s, a new disease, sorghum ergot, became established in the Americas. Originally from Africa, it was first found in South America and worked its way into Mexico and the United States through wind-borne dispersion of spores. By the late 1990s, Mexico established emergency regulations to minimize its impact; however, the disease continued to spread. Although the disease now occurs throughout Mexico, these phytosanitary trade measures have remained in effect. Mexico continues to require that U.S. seed be cleaned, treated and tested for sclerotia, a small dormant fungal mass. Seed consignments must be certified to have less than five sclerotia per kilogram of seed. As the disease has become endemic, it is increasingly more difficult for member seed companies to comply with this stringent standard, and as a result, more and more shipments are being rejected at the border. With ASTA's support, efforts are underway to work with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Mexican government, the Texas Seed Trade Association (TSTA) and the Mexican Seed Trade Association (AMSAC) to revise these import requirements. Mexico has just recently indicated a willingness to consider scientific and technical documentation that would justify lifting these measures. ASTA is working with both U.S. and Mexican scientific experts to assemble this information in preparation for a meeting with the Mexican authorities in early March. "This problem has gotten much worse in recent years, and I am confident we now have a plan to ultimately get this resolved with the help of ASTA, TSTA and AMSAC," said Jerry Monk, president of Warner Seeds, Hereford, Texas.
Johnson Represents ASTA at International Seed Federation (ISF) Meeting in Brussels Tim Johnson of Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. traveled to Brussels, Belgium, to attend the ISF Intellectual Property Committee (IPC) meeting from Jan. 29-30. Committee members extensively reviewed existing ISF position papers on intellectual property (IP), after which members developed recommendations as to the appropriate addition of new papers, as well as to revision or removal of others. "As we reviewed these documents it was very clear to the committee the forethought given in the design of the original policy papers on intellectual property - as far back as the 1980s," commented Tim Johnson, who also serves as the Chairman of the ISF Breeders Committee. "Our next step is to bring forth the IPC recommendations, developed by the international experts in the field of IP, to the Breeders Committee where policy is further reviewed and adopted." The next Breeders Committee meeting will be held in Brussels on Mar. 12. Also discussed during the IPC meeting were various issues of committee business, in addition to a review of the current ISF research projects involving maize, ryegrass and tomato. Other ASTA members were in attendance, including Stephen Smith, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. The next meeting of the IPC will take place on Nov. 3, 2008, in Maastricht. For more information on the outcome of the meeting, please contact Lisa Nichols.
ASTA Participates in Meeting of the Organization for Economic and Co-operative Development (OECD) Tom Bockhaus, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., represented ASTA at the annual meeting of the OECD Schemes for the Varietal Certification of Seed Moving in International Trade (OECD Seed Schemes) in Paris, France, from Jan. 23-24. This meeting brought together the Representatives of the National Designated Authorities for the Implementation of OECD Seed Schemes. Bockhaus also participated the Technical Working Group meeting on Varietal Identity and Varietal Purity which was held in conjunction with the OECD Seed Schemes meeting. Reporting on the outcomes, Bockhaus conveyed that, "Generally speaking, the outcomes of the third meeting of the Technical Working Group continue to support OECD internal assessment strategic efforts to facilitate and ensure that seed production scheme processes are effective and harmonized worldwide." For more information on the outcome of the meetings please contact Lisa Nichols.
On Jan. 22, the seed industry lost one of its finest professionals, Duane Scott Palmer. Palmer, one of the original co-founders of Rio Colorado Seeds, founded D. Palmer Seed Co. (DPS) in 1985, a hybrid vegetable seed company supported by private, independent breeders. Palmer wanted to create an environment for these breeders, so that they were "free to make their own decisions on what they wanted to create with the benefit that creating such diversity would enhance our product line unlike anyone else in the business." Today, DPS offers a wide selection of commercial vegetable seed varieties from breeding programs worldwide. Duane actively participated in the ASTA Vegetable and Flower Seed Division as well as the Brokers/Agents Division. Prior to his career in the agricultural industry, he served in the U.S. Navy, after which he attended Fresno College. Duane loved spending time with his family, especially outdoors and traveling - getting the most out of life. He is survived by his wife, Lynnette Palmer; daughters, Linda Leek (Jim), Lisa Smith (Kevin), Laura Galpin (Greg), Ronda Connolly (John); and grandchildren, Lindsay, Ryan, Ezra, Kelsey, Tyler, Kylie, Zane and Taytum.
Whiteaker has joined Verdant Partners LLC as a Director after retiring from Sakata Seed America, Inc., Morgan Hill, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2008. Gary made his professional career for the last 36 years in the vegetable seed business and in the flower seed industry for the past 14 years. He holds a doctorate in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin. Gary began his career in research at Alf Christianson Seed Company, now owned by Sakata. Gary said recently, "The last 14 years working for Sakata have been the most interesting and challenging years in my seed business career. I've very much enjoyed being part of the growth in Sakata Seed America and Sakata Corporation and am looking forward to joining Verdant Partners so that I can assist fellow seedsmen as they reassess their strategic options." Verdant Partners LLC is a middle market investment banking and consulting firm specializing in the global crop genetics industry. For more information, please contact Dr. Gary Whiteaker at (888) 359-8470 extension 8853 or by email at garywhiteaker@verdantpartners.com.
Lee Rulon Receives Indiana Crop Improvement Association's Highest Award Beck's Hybrids, Atlanta, Ind., is proud to announce Director of Marketing Lee Rulon as the recipient of the 2008 Crops and Soils Merit Award. The Crops and Soils Merit Award is given by the Indiana Crop Improvement Association (ICIA) on the basis of a distinct and outstanding contribution to Indiana agriculture as related to the field of crops, soils or other agronomic lines. It is the highest honor that the association grants to an individual. Rulon was presented with the award on Feb. 7 at the ICIA annual banquet. Lee was recognized for his various contributions to the industry in addition to his accomplishments during his employment at Beck's Hybrids. He plays an active role in several organizations outside his normal duties at Beck's Hybrids. His involvement in Indiana Crop Improvement Association includes serving on various committees and in leadership roles on the board of directors from 1990-2004. Rulon also contributed to the Indiana Seed Trade Association, dating back to its beginnings in the late 1970s when Lee was instrumental in developing policies and leadership in the formative years. He served on the board and became president of the association serving from 1994-1995. Today, Mr. Rulon serves on the Indiana Grain Indemnity Board where he continues as a representative for seed trade issues.
Seminar to Assist in Decision Making The Center for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University will hold a two day seminar on the decision making process and tools to help recognize new opportunities, clarify various alternatives, capitalize on time delay and manage the downside risk in business decisions. The seminar will be held from Mar. 18-20, 2008. Registration is in the late stages, but interested applicants can find details and registration information by visiting the seminar's Web site. Please click here for a direct link to the site.
SGS Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. Offers Seed Sampler Training Workshops Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. (SGS MWSS) will hold two upcoming seed sampling workshops in Salem, Ore., on Mar. 4-5 and Brookings, S.D., on May 21-22, 2008. International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Association of Offiical Seed Analysts (AOSA) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sampling rules will be reviewed, as well as sampling methods, sealing seed lots, subdividing samples and a review of ISTA certificates. The sessions will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the first day and conclude by noon on the second day. Please visit www.mwseed.com or contact (877) 692-7611 for more details.
Registration is Now Open for the 2008 World Seed Congress The International Seed Federation is pleased to announce the opening of its registration for the 2008 World Seed Congress at the Prague Congress Center in Prague, Czech Republic. Please visit the congress Web site for further information: http://www.worldseed2008.com. Registrations will be accepted online, by fax or by mail.
2008 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing Set for April 27-30, 2008, in Chicago, Ill. Sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the Congress will provide information on issues involving scientific innovation, market growth, policy developments and future trends in the industrial and environmental applications of biotechnology. Sessions will focus various aspects of biotechnology in a broad range of applications, including manufacturing and synthesis, industrial biotech in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care products, foods, flavorings, bioprocessing of agricultural feedstocks, bioenergy production, biotechnology and climate change, issues surrounding the application of biotechnology to industrial sustainability, enzymes for environmental remediation, bioplastics, pulp and paper processing. Please click here for more information on the event, or contact BIO at (202) 962 6630; e-mail: WorldCongress@BIO.org.
Click here for a schedule of additional industry events
ASTA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact ASTA at (703) 837-8140.
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ASTA Remembers Duane S. Palmer of D. Palmer Seed Co. 
Dr. Gary Whiteaker Joins Verdant Partners
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Grain Handler's Database • Seed Quality Management • CSS 2008 & Seed Expo • 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference • 125th Annual Convention |