Seed E-News

June 21 , 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 Jason Laney at ASTA.

Past issues can be viewed here .

Reports from USDA

• USDA Reports on Wheat Harvest
• Farm Bill Statement by Secretary Johanns

Counting Down to the 124th Annual Convention

With the 124th Annual Convention in Broomfield, Colorado just a few days away, high registration numbers and some just-announced speaker additions continue to add to the excitement of the event. The Annual Convention, which brings together every division and standing committee of ASTA, already includes over 500 registrants and 19 exhibitors, and a record number of participating sponsors. A major highlight of this year's convention will be the kick-off of ASTA's 125th Anniversary year, 2007 - 2008. This year-long celebration of ASTA's history will be formally introduced by 2007-2008 Chairman Mike Peterson at this year's Gala Banquet, held on Tuesday, June 26.

New speaker additions include Jim Astwood of ConAgra Foods and Marc Cool of Seeds of Change, who will be included in the "Processors' Panel Discussion" on Tuesday, June 26. Also newly added is John Becherer of the United Soybean Board, presenting at the joint meeting of the Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Divisions. Kevin Morris of the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program will review NTEP's future plans in the Lawn Seed Division meeting, and Bill, Shannon and John Latham of Latham Seed Company will provide a multi-generational presentation during the FuSE meeting (Future Seed Executives). For a full list of convention speakers and topics, click here.

The tour to Fort Collins, Colorado on Saturday, June 23 is now sold out. The Foothills Fandango Tour, to the Coors Brewery, Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Dinosaur Ridge, will still be accepting new registrants on site at the convention. The tours of the City of Denver and the "Best of Boulder" have been cancelled.

Pre-registration is now closed but registration will be available at the convention site, the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield, Colorado, beginning on Saturday, June 23.

Seed E-News Update

Due to the summer schedule and activities, as well as a staff transition in the ASTA Public Affairs Department, the Seed E-News will be published on an as needed basis for the next two months. Also, as the ASTA Annual Convention is occurring next week, the next E-news will be published on July 6, 2007. During this transition period, please send any articles or announcements for the E-news to Jason Laney, Director of Membership Services.

State of the States ...

New York

A select group of New York State seedsmen met with the members of the New York State Ag and Markets Commission on Tuesday, June 12 to discuss various aspects of the state seed law. Both parties expressed interest in updating the seed law and agreed to continue the conversations toward that degree. The seedsmen have prepared a draft document of suggested changes that will be reviewed and considered by the agency. The meeting was facilitated because a bill was introduced in the state's legislature earlier in the spring that would require usage of the state seed lab for seed certification.

Another bill under consideration, A01403, attempts to create a "defense mechanism against a grower's liability from the owner of a patented genetic presence if the trait is detected in a crop unbeknownst to the grower." It is well-known in the seed industry that, as a matter of practice, seed manufacturers do not bring action in such cases. Also, a state law such as this would be preempted by federal law. The intended result of the bill is to provide an affirmative defense to a patent infringement suit. This would be unnecessary, because under patent law, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff to prove infringement. ASTA is assisting the New York State Seed Association in drafting a response letter against the bill. The bill has passed the New York House, and is currently pending before the Senate Ag Committee.

For more information on state affairs, contact Pat Miller.

Industry-Relevant Sites to Visit While in Colorado

During ASTA's visit to Broomfield, Welby Gardens, a nearby garden center that serves as a host of the All-America Selections flower trials, will have special displays of the award-winning flowers and vegetables for our group to enjoy. ASTA attendees are welcome to stop by on the morning of June 24 to view these special displays and visit with their host, Al Gerace, owner. For directions to Welby Gardens, only 10 minutes from the ASTA Annual Convention's host hotel, the Omni Interlocken, call 303-288-3398, or call Nikki Clifford at ASTA at 703-837-8140.

Also, approximately twenty minutes from the ASTA Annual Convention's host hotel is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) located in Golden, Colorado. NREL's Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday and includes a building specifically devoted to alternative fuels and a cellulosic ethanol plant is also part of the facility. ASTA attendees are encouraged to visit this center, whose principal chemical engineer, at the facility's Bioenergy Center, Jim McMillan, will also participate as a speaker in Wednesday's "Growers' Panel Discussion" on June 27.

Communications Committee Meeting Cancelled at Upcoming Annual Convention

The meeting of the ASTA Communications Committee, formerly scheduled for Tuesday, June 26 at 2:45 p.m., has been cancelled at ASTA's upcoming Annual Convention in Broomfield, Colorado. The committee is expected to meet again at ASTA's CSS 2007 conference in Chicago this December.

Latham Family to Address FuSE Committee During Upcoming Annual Convention.

The Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Committee is pleased to present during their committee meeting on Monday, June 25 at 4:00 p.m. a multi-generational panel discussion on the seed industry featuring Bill, John, and Shannon Latham of Latham Seed Company. The presentation will feature their perspectives on a number of topics including: where the industry has come and where it is going; challenges and opportunities that seed companies are currently facing and will face in the future; advice for new professionals and students who are about to enter the industry; benefits of being active in the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) early in your career; and what it is like for a family owned seed company involving multiple generations in business.

USDA Proposes Fee Increase on Plant and Plant Products Export Certification

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced a proposal to adjust the user fees charged for export certification of plants and plant products. These user fees will be increased for fiscal years 2007 through 2012 to reflect anticipated costs associated with providing export certification services each year.

Specifically, APHIS is proposing to adjust the fees for the following services:
· Certification for export or reexport of a commercial shipment would increase from $50 to $99;
· Certification for export or reexport of a low-value commercial shipment would increase from $23 to $57;
· Certification for export or reexport of a noncommercial shipment would increase from $23 to $58 and
· Replacement of any certificate for export or reexport would increase from $7 to $14.

In addition, APHIS is also proposing to add a new user fee for exporters who obtain federal export certificates for plants and plant products from state or county cooperators in order to recover administrative costs associated with that service. The proposed fee for state or county issued export certificates is $16. The proposed rule was published in the June 12 Federal Register.Comments are being sought and should be received by August 13. To view the notice click here.

USDA Names Members to Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced on June 14 members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and the 21st Century (AC21). The AC21 was established in February 2003 to provide information and advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on topics related to the use of biotechnology in agriculture. The committee is charged with examining the long-term impacts of biotechnology on the U.S. food and agriculture system and USDA, and providing guidance to USDA on pressing individual issues, identified by the Office of the Secretary, related to the application of biotechnology in agriculture. Michael Dykes of Monsanto and Brad Shurdut of Dow AgroSciences were reappointed to the AC21. Click here for the official announcement.

ASTA Staff Meets with Delegation of Egyptian Agriculture Officials and Journalists

On Friday, June 15, ASTA staff members met with a group of agricultural ministry representatives and journalists from.gypt to discuss the importance of intellectual property protection. In particular, the delegation was interested in hearing about the plant variety protection program (PVP) and the importance of this process to the seed industry. The head of the Egyptian PVP Office was part of the delegation, as Egypt is in the process of establishing its own PVPO. The delegation also met with representatives from the USDA and the Patent and Trademark Office. For more information on this meeting, contact Bernice Slutsky.

ISTA 9th Proficiency Test on GMO Testing Open for Registration.

The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) has announced registration is open for the 9th ISTA Proficiency Test on GMO Testing on Maize. The test is open to any laboratory involved in GM testing.Participation in the testing program is compulsory for laboratories which have GMO testing methods in their scope of accreditation. More information can be found here.

USDA/DOE Grant Awarded to SDSU Researchers

South Dakota State University researchers have been awarded a total of $420,000 to study prairie cordgrass over a two-year period. The study is one of 11 projects funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy to promote biofuels research. The objective of the project will be to develop the first genetic map for prairie cordgrass which will enable plant breeders to utilize desired traits. Click here to learn more about the joint grants that are being offered.

GAO Issues Report on Biofuels Industry

The General Accountability Office has issued a new report discussing supply, incentive structure and policy issues associated with the new farm and energy legislation. The report highlights a premise that beyond the basic bushel amount that will be required to meet a growing demand, yields will need to improve at a quicker pace than in recent years. The alternative, according to the Report, is that more acres currently devoted to other uses will have to go into corn. Click here to access the report.

Asian Soybean Rust Discovery

A new discovery of soybean rust has been identified in a patch of kudzu from a soybean field in St. Mary's Parish, in south-central Louisiana. This marks the second parish in the state where soybean rust has been discovered this year, the first coming in early May in Iberia Parish. Rust has also been confirmed in Liberty County, Texas. For more information on soybean rust, click here.

Welcome New ASTA Members

Associate: EPL BioAnalytical Service- Harristown, IL
Active: Ajanta Pharma, Inc.- Farm Seed Division, Raritan, NJ

ASTA has four membership categories: Active (including Brokers), Associate, Affiliate and Corresponding. For more membership information contact Jason Laney.

FuSE Announces Upcoming Events

Registration is Now Open for Upcoming Discussion Group

The next FuSE Discussion Group, to be held July 18, will feature a discussion on labeling including a review of ASTA's position and an update on state action. The call will be moderated by a member of ASTA's ad hoc Committee on Labeling. Click here to register for the call.

FuSE also has two upcoming Educational Units that you do not want to miss

The first Educational Unit will be held on August 23 at Dairyland Seed Co. in Clinton, WI. The Ed Unit will feature an exciting agenda including: an overview of Dairyland Seed Co., discussions on staying competitive as an independent seed company and the pipeline for the future, a case study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a VIP tour of the research facility and plots. Click here to register for the Dairyland Ed Unit.

The next Educational Unit will be held on September 7 at Sakata Seed America in Morgan Hill, CA. This Ed Unit will feature a hi-tech focused agenda including: an overview of Sakata Seed America and its multi-national parent company Sakata Seed Corporation, headquartered in Yokohama, Japan; a tour of its plant; an overview of SeedQuest's business story and the current status of the internet and related technology; and a case study on the California Biotechnology Story conducted by the UC Davis Seed Biotechnology Center. Click here to register for the Sakata Ed Unit.

Be sure to participate in one of these exciting and informative events. Click here for a complete schedule of FuSE activities.

Upcoming Industry Events

ASTA 124th Annual Convention
6/23-27
Omni Interlocken Resort & Spa
Broomfield, CO

Georgia Seed Association Meeting
7/7-10
Callaway Gardens
Pine Mountain, GA

Alabama Seedsman Association Meeting
7/13-14
Grand Hotel
Point Clear, AL

Click here for a schedule of additional industry events