Seed E-News

May 4 , 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 receive news about the seed industry. Questions, comments and your industry news are welcome — contact Lisa Dry at ASTA.

Past issues can be viewed here .

In the News
• 5/2 Beck's to Bloom in a Big Way
• 5/2 Associated Press, Honeybee Die-off Threatens Food Supply
• 4/22 The Lompoc (CA) Record, Cut Flowers a Growing Force in Agriculture
• 4/22 U.S. News & World Report, Is Grass Greener on Scott's Side?
• 4/22 Vietnam News Agency, Young Scientist Concocts Supercoconut

Bruce Knight to Attend ASTA
Annual Conference in Colorado

Bruce Knight, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, will moderate the Growers' Panel during the General Session, Wed., June 27, beginning at 8 a.m. Knight provides leadership and oversight for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agricultural Marketing Service and the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration. Before assuming this post in 2006, he served as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the lead agency for conservation on private working agricultural lands.
The panel will consist of producer leaders from the National Corn Growers Association, United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, the National Cotton Council, and others, who will discuss how grower needs impact the seed industry.

Please note these agenda changes:

Mon., June 25
• Stewardship Committee: 2:15 - 3:45 p.m. (Closed - Members Only)
• Stewardship Committee: Open Meeting: 3:45 - 4:15 p.m.
• Cancelled: Corn & Sorghum Basic Research Committee meeting: 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
• New time: FuSE/ASRF Reception: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

A full schedule is available here. Pre-registration rates are good through May 31; delegate rates increase $100 for on June 1.

Register today!

ASTA Executive Committee Meets with Washington Agricultural Leaders

ASTA's Executive Committee met in Washington April 25-27 to conduct the Association's business and meet with agricultural leaders. On Wednesday, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) hosted a briefing for the group who were welcomed by AFBF President Bob Stallman. Members of AFBF's policy team, Mark Maslin, Rosemary Watkins and Mary Kay Thatcher provided an overview of congressional and regulatory issues. Don Lipton, Communications Director, explained recent research on consumers' views on farmers and the farm bill.

Chris Wilson, from the U.S. Trade Representative's office, offered an update on intellectual property and efforts being made in other countries to recognize the importance of their Bob Stallman
obligations under trade agreements.

The Honorable Charles "Chuck" Stenholm, senior policy director for Olsson, Frank and Weeda, who served the 17th District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives was the speaker at the group's Wednesday evening session. Mr. Stenholm served on the House Committee on Agriculture throughout his 26-year House career, serving as the Committee's ranking Democrat for his last eight years until 2004, and worked on every Farm Bill until he left Congress. Among Congressman Stenholm's comments to the group: "You have to get the nutrition community on your side if you're going to pass a farm bill," because the majority of the funding goes toward programs for women and children. He also noted that anyone who eats is involved in agriculture.

Senate Ag Committee staff Susan Keith (D) and Hayden Milberg (R) conducted a question and answer session with ASTA's members on Thursday. They noted that there are many farm bill related discussions being held about direct payments, conservation, energy and the importance of specialty crops.

Ken Hobbie, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), provided an interesting overview of his more than 30 years with the Grains Council. USGC develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, grain sorghum and related products. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture's profitability.

Jerry Monk, Warner Seeds, and Chris Wilson, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property.	ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne, former Representative Charles Stenholm, and ASTA Chairman Harry Collins, Delta and Pine Land Co.

ASTA Second Vice Chairman Kelly Keithly, Keithly-Williams, Susan Keith, Senior Policy Director, Senate Ag Committee and Wayne Vassar, Sharp Bros. Seed Co	Hayden Milberg, Senate Ag Committee staff, ASTA's Leslie Cahill, and John Scheonecker, Harris Moran.

Ken Hobbie, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council, addresses members of ASTA's Executive Committee. (Left to right) Marion Hawkins, Jr., Gold Leaf Seed, Bryan Gerard, JGL, Inc., and First Vice Chairman Mike Peterson, Peterson Genetics.

State of the States ...

Maine. A bill [LD 1650] that would ease the process for organic farmers to sue seed manufacturers if they believed their crops were damaged by a company's biotech enhanced crop was heard by the House Committee Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on Monday. Testifying in support of the bill were representatives of the Maine Organic Farmers and the Gardeners Association Food for Maine's Future. Only one farmer testified in support. In opposition were the Maine Department of Agriculture, the Maine Farm Bureau, and the Maine Dairy Federation, among others. The bill now goes to a working session next Monday for decision by the committee members. ASTA provided written testimony entered into the record on the bill.

California. AB 541 by Assemblyman Jared Huffman was heard by the House Ag Committee on Wednesday. The bill is an omnibus anti-biotechnology bill that has language that transfers liability to seed manufacturers, as well as other major issues detrimental to the industry. During the hearing, the author realized he did not have enough votes to move the bill out of committee, so he did not ask for a decision. The bill will now lay out until the beginning of next year. ASTA worked with the California Seed Association to provide comment on the bill.

For more information on state legislative issues contact Pat Miller.

Around the Agencies ...

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced that he has named Anthony Hulen director of the Office of External and Intergovernmental Affairs. Hulen serves as the Department's primary liaison to public and private stakeholders to help America's farmers and ranchers succeed through expanded trade opportunities, rural economic development and the upcoming farm bill. Before his new appointment Hulen served as USDA White House Liaison, a position he has held since July 2005 and continues to fill.

Last week USDA announced the availability of $19.5 million to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. Potential uses include a wide range of products that allow the producer to enhance the revenue stream generated from their crops and other production. Examples include conversion to organic production, processing of raw commodities to a finished product, and the conversion of farm crops to create renewable energy sources.

USDA has also announceed a new $20.6 million cooperative conservation partnership with the State of Oklahoma to create up to 9,000 acres of riparian buffers and filter strips. The conservation plantings will reduce the flow of nutrients, sediment and other pollutants in the Spavinaw Lake and Illinois River/Lake Tenkiller watersheds.

World Seed Congress Advance Registration Closes May 9

Advance registration for the World Seed Congress, sponsored by the International Seed Federation , will close at 2 p.m. GMT on Wed., May 9. For more information, contact the ASTA office at (703) 837-8140. The conference will be held May 21-23 in Christchurch, New Zealand. A workshop on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights on Plant Varieties is also scheduled in Christchurch for May 24.

FuSE Conducts First International Event

ASTA's Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Initiative held its first international event as Richard Cruse, Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University who is on a teaching assignment in Budapest, Hungary, led a Round Table Discussion Group (RTDG) conference call on soil erosion and organic matter retention.

The discussion centered on two trends in U.S. agriculture: the increased intensity of crop rotations resulting from bio fuel demands and the increasing disconnect between land ownership and land stewardship.

Cruse cited research done at Iowa State that emphasized the need. "As U.S. production capacity is stretched to meet the growing needs of the bio fuels market, additional conservation practices are needed." said Cruse. "Any shortcuts in land stewardship for short-term gains could have serious future consequences."

Cruse's message of cautious enthusiasm for the future of the seed industry made an impact on the participants who dialed in from Florida, Iowa, Mississippi, Oregon and Wisconsin.

"Having recently moved from being an economic research analyst to the seed side of the business, the Round Table Discussion Group call helped greatly in introducing me to some of the current challenges we face," said first-time participant Charlie Robinette of Dulaney Seed in Clarksdale, Miss.

The next RTDG call will be held on May 23rd at 10 a.m. CST. It will focus on Managing New Talent and will be moderated by Betty S. Jones, Associate Director of the Center for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University. For more information contact Alexis Ellicott or Jason Laney.

FuSE Round Table Discussion Group Set for May 23

ASTA's Future Seed Executives (FuSE) sub-committee will hold its next Round Table Discussion Group (RTDG) conference call on May 23 at 10 a.m. Central Time. It will be moderated by Betty Jones, Associate Director for the Center for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University. 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.

This one-hour conference call will focus on Management Skills (Managing New Talent). 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) and upon registration, the call-in number and pass-code will be issued. Please contact Alexis Ellicott or Jim Schweigert with any questions.

In order to facilitate that interaction the calls will be limited to 12 participants, so early registration is encouraged.

Company News and People on the Move ...

Dow AgroSciences LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, announced this week it has acquired assets of the Austrian affiliate of Maize Technologies International (MTI), an Austrian based corn seed company, including its breeding programs, germplasm, and related technology, as well as ownership of MTI's French affiliate and other related assets. Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., and outdoor television personality Babe Winkelman have partnered to provide more forage for Minnesota's wildlife. "We're planting seeds for all types of wildlife - deer, turkey, pheasants, ducks, geese, bear," says Babe Winkelman, host of "Good Fishing" and "Outdoor Secrets." "It's far beyond a small plot that offers food to a few animals in the wilderness."

Pioneer also announced a new feature on the Pioneer GrowingPoint® website that offers growers a chance to review tips and suggestions from their fellow farmers. "Growing Perspective" showcases knowledge from Kip Cullers, Purdy, Mo., the 2006 world record holder for soybean production, and others.

Upcoming Industry Events

BIO International Convention
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
5/6 - 5/9
Boston, MA

Pacific Seed AssociationAnnual Convention
Mariott Hotel, City Center
5/14 - 5/17
Portland, OR

Seed Trade Association of Arizona 15th Annual Meeting
Westward Look Resort
5/17 - 5/18
Tucson, AZ

ISF World Seed Congress 2007
5/21-23
Christchurch, New Zealand

Click here for a schedule of additional industry events