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August 8 , 2008
The Seed Industry and the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 is a result of lengthy negotiations by Congress in finalizing a new farm bill. As the USDA begins the implementation process of this act, ASTA and its members are closely following the progress. In part two of a five part series, provisions affecting stewardship, energy and conservation are reviewed. Cellulosic, ethanol, bio-based and alternative fuels will continue to play a significant role in future energy discussions and policies of the U.S. Effective conservation practices and proper land use are also critical. ASTA is committed to production agriculture and to sound and effective stewardship. The seed industry responds to what its customers and the market desire by providing the quality seed necessary to improve production. One recent example of the seed industry's response to market dynamics is the identification and provision of new seed varieties and choices aimed at reducing dependence on foreign oil through biofuels. Quality seed is also supplied to retire fragile and marginal lands when it is prudent and necessary for effective stewardship. Building on previous farm bills, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 maintains a strong commitment to locally led, voluntary conservation programs, providing an additional $4 billion in conservation spending over the next 10 years. Producers and members of the seed industry have a variety of options for conservation assistance, land retirement programs and cost-share programs. The programs are many and represent an alphabet soup of options and include: Environmental and Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP); Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP); Grasslands Reserves Program (GRP); Farmland Protection Program (FPP) and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). ASTA's Environmental and Conservation Seed Committee and members of the Corn and Sorghum, Farm Seed and Soybean Divisions are directly affected by a number of titles in the new farm bill. Farmers have choices - from biofuels and related programs to production agriculture to land retirement and special use. The choices will become increasingly important as energy consumption continues to grow and debate escalates. In order to meet the growing demand for energy in the U.S., the seed industry, farmers and consumers will have to consider a wide array of resources and alternatives. Biomass, biofuels and cellulosic technologies, coupled with conservation programs in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act, will be viable options. As an example, the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) is intended to encourage farmers to establish and grow biomass crops in areas around biomass facilities. The program provides for cost-share payments for harvest, storage and transport. Additionally, a Forest Service initiative establishes a $15 million competitive research and development program to encourage use of forest biomass. ASTA members firmly believe that a measured and comprehensive approach is necessary as priorities and programs are developed and implemented. There is no one solution in meeting the challenges and opportunities that face the U.S., rather a balance of several paths forward. Accordingly, energy, conservation and stewardship can coexist with production agriculture with options and programs included in the new farm bill. Members of the seed industry stand ready to provide the seed for responsible choices and sound stewardship. Spinach Seed Implicated in the Transmission of a Pathogen Lethal to Lettuce. In California's Salinas Valley there is a common practice to rotate lettuce with spinach production. Over the last several years a pathogen that infects lettuce, Verticillium dahliae, has been becoming more prevalent. Although this same pathogen also occurs on spinach, it does not cause economic damage. Known to be associated with spinach seed, the pathogen is believed by some to be introduced into lettuce fields when spinach is planted after lettuce. The California Seed Association (CSA), with the help of ASTA through its Vegetable Tech Subcommittee, is working to guide research efforts in California on this pathogen in the right direction. The California Leafy Greens Research Board (LGRB) is funding projects that look into this issue and has recently asked vegetable seed companies for additional funds. "We need to be at the table when it comes to research involving seed," said Betsy Peterson of CSA. "We would like to assure our industry that the right projects dealing with spinach seed in this case are being undertaken." A letter jointly signed by CSA and ASTA was sent to LGRB that proposed a joint approach in deciding on research needs and priorities. A team of five experts from CSA and the ASTA Vegetable Tech Subcommittee are scheduled to meet with LGRB and the Monterey County agricultural commissioner on Aug. 13 to discuss next steps. For more information on this issue, please contact Ric Dunkle.
FuSE Holds Second Successful Educational Unit of 2008 at AgReliant Genetics, LLC.
On July 23 more than 20 seed industry professionals attended ASTA's Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Educational Unit hosted by AgReliant Genetics, LLC in Champaign, Ill. The exciting seminar featured a full day of networking opportunities and valuable sessions on topics ranging from quality control systems to recent research developments. Participants also took part in a tour of the research station where they were exposed to the latest research methods currently employed by one of the largest corn seed companies in the U.S. A highlight of the event was the case study on drought tolerance presented by Professor Emerson Nafzinger of the University of Illinois. During this part of the educational unit, participants were able to discuss the latest breakthroughs in research to address this critical agricultural issue. "Attending this FuSE Educational Unit provided me with a wonderful opportunity to network with other seed industry professionals while at the same time learn more about some of the pressing issues facing our industry," remarked Kimberly Boccardi, marketing director of Lewis Hybrids. FuSE Educational Units are one-day networking and educational opportunities that are offered regionally throughout the U.S. Each unit is hosted by an ASTA member company in conjunction with a local university. This professional development program is a key part of ASTA's efforts to provide cutting edge training opportunities to both current and emerging industry leaders. The next and final 2008 FuSE Educational Unit will be held at Seminis Inc. in Woodland, Cal., on Sept. 16. Click here to register for this upcoming event and here for the agenda. For more information on FuSE, contact Jason Laney.
First the Seed Foundation Kicks Off Fund Raising Effort. The first campaign toward raising funds for the First the Seed Foundation has begun. This first effort is being spearheaded by the foundation's board of directors in building support for the strategic goals of the First the Seed Foundation. The seed industry established the foundation to provide education and outreach about today's vibrant seed industry and its promise for the future. The food, fiber, feed and fuel demands of an ever increasing population make it more important than ever to educate the general public about the story of agriculture and the role of seed, as well as attract the best and brightest minds to agricultural fields of study. Members of the board will outreach to potential donors as part of this initial targeted funding drive. The highest priority of the First the Seed Foundation is the education of today's youth. Efforts of the foundation will begin with outreach about seed to grade schools through multimedia and web-based curriculum to be used in classrooms, development of an introductory video on the seed industry's role in American agriculture, the distribution of seed and informational kits to schools and youth organizations and the promotion of the value of quality seed and the impacts of the seed industry on every person's life who eats food or uses agricultural products. Contributions can be made to the First the Seed Foundation by contacting the ASTA office. Important Notice to ASTA Members and CSS & Seed Expo Attendees. It has come to ASTA's attention that a company called Convention Expo Travel contacted several ASTA members claiming to be affiliated with ASTA. The caller further claimed that the Hyatt Regency Chicago is sold out for ASTA's December conference this year and offering to make reservations at the Sheraton Chicago. While the Sheraton Chicago is the official overflow hotel for the conference, this travel company is not affiliated with ASTA nor has the Hyatt Regency Chicago sold out the group block for the Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Research Conference (CSS). If you should be contacted by this company, please understand that the circumstances are not as the caller has reportedly represented them in regards to room availability at this time at either the Hyatt Regency or the Sheraton. ASTA takes this very seriously and is working with legal counsel to address the situation. Reservations can be made at the Hyatt Regency Chicago by calling (800) 233-1234 and asking for the American Seed Trade Association rate, group code LAST. Questions regarding the CSS Conference or the Seed Expo, please contact Jennifer Lord. Reserve Hotel Rooms Early for the Upcoming Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference. The fast-growing conference of any ASTA event, the 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference will be held Feb. 7-10, 2009, at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina. The 2009 conference falls at the end of the week of Super Bowl XLIII, as well as the Annual Gasparilla Festival on Feb. 7, 2009. This places extra pressure on room availability at our host hotel, so please make reservations immediately in order to ensure lodging. To make a reservation, contact the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel at (813) 221-4900 and ask for the American Seed Trade Association group rate of $199 singe/double. Click here for a direct link to the hotel's Web site. Please contact ASTA at (703) 837-8140 if you encounter any difficulty. For more information on the conference, please click here. U.S. House Subcommittees Hold Hearings on Traceability. On July 30, the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture held a hearing to review issues associated to the traceability of fresh produce. The hearing was held in response to the recent outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul illnesses. Government officials originally connected the outbreak with tomatoes. However, subsequent investigations later linked the outbreak to jalapeno and Serrano peppers from Mexico. Witnesses from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Disease Control, grower groups, academia and produce associations were on hand to testify. Congressional members focused on the federal resources currently available and those needed to ensure a trace-back system that functions and is well understood. On July 31, the Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations followed with a similar hearing to discuss the lessons learned and the consequences to industry and public health on the Salmonella outbreak. Testimony was heard from the FDA, Grocery Manufacturers Association, academia and state department of agriculture officials. In total, 17 witnesses shared their experience and recommendations to the Subcommittee. A number of legislative bills have been introduced in Congress. It is anticipated that as the target adjournment of mid-late September approaches, food safety legislation will most likely be held over until the new Congress convenes in January, 2009. ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne and Vice President for Government Affairs Leslie Cahill attended both hearings. ASTA staff will continue to monitor the situation as it relates to the agricultural industry and any potential impact on seed production. For more information, please contact Leslie Cahill. State of States Important Industry Issues Addressed at State and Regional Association Meetings. In late July 2008, three state seed associations held their annual meetings to discuss important industry issues including the current state of the biofuels industry, the state of the general agricultural industry and how to thrive as a small company. Both the North Central Seed Conference hosted by the Northern Seed Trade Association (NSTA) and the South Carolina Seed Association's Annual Convention included vibrant programs that highlighted the various facets of the bioenergy industry and the impact that it will have on the seed industry. The South Carolina meeting also featured a presentation by Jim Byrum of the Michigan Agribusiness Association who updated the group on the current status of the general agricultural industry. At the North Carolina Seed Association, attendees heard an update from the state seed control official, Eddie Martin, as well as a presentation on how to become a successful small company. All three associations named new leadership: for NSTA, Kam Blight of Blight Native Seeds, Ltd.; for North Carolina, Billy Barrow of Golden Peanut Company; and for South Carolina, Steve Barton of Pennington Seed, Inc. ASTA Director of State Affairs Pat Miller and Director of Membership Services Jason Laney provided updates on ASTA programs at all three meetings. State and regional association meetings provide valuable educational and networking opportunities at the local level and are a vital tool in developing grassroots networks throughout the seed industry. For more information on these meetings, please contact Pat Miller. Phytosanitary Workshop Slated in Asia. The Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and ASTA are partnering to hold a phytosanitary workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, from Aug. 28-29. The focus of the workshop is to optimize current quarantine laws and regulations by strengthening the established partnership between the national governments and the private sector. Public and private sector representatives from APSA member countries (China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) and the U.S. will attend the workshop. Representatives are to be prepared to discuss the various seed issues, specifically standard import permit and phytosanitary certificates, pests list, sanitary phytosanitary notification, plant quarantine (PQ) amendment orders, PQ restricted articles, PQ prohibited articles, seed-borne diseases and current crop/seed statistics. ASTA member John Stevens, phytosanitary issues manager with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, will present on behalf of ASTA along with ASTA Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols. At the conclusion of the workshop, all stakeholders are expected to have a clearer understanding of the attending countries' phytosanitary regulations, particularly those proving to be unreasonable barriers to trade. For more information on this workshop, please contact Lisa Nichols. Field Trials of Genetically Engineered Seed Approved in Malawi. The Malawian cabinet approved the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy, providing the legal framework needed to initiate confined field trials of genetically engineered (GE) crops. The first crop will be GE cotton, and trials are expected to begin as soon as possible. "This has now borne fruit and placed Malawi on the road to commercialized GE crop production to contribute to sustainable food production and alleviate poverty," said Dr. David Keetch, chairperson of AfricaBio. "We will continue to assist Malawi with their confined field trials." Malawi joins the other African countries of Burkina Faso, Kenya, Egypt and Zimbabwe in conducting confined biotech field trials. China Seed Expo 2008 Expected to Draw Large Crowds. ASTA will participate in the China Seed Expo in Shenyang from Sept. 10-12, 2008. The Expo will provide ASTA members and staff an opportunity to participate in the event programs and house an ASTA booth to distribute informational materials on the U.S. seed industry, intellectual property rights and plant variety protection. Trading associations and companies from over 17 countries have been invited to participate at the Expo representing trade in cereal crops, corn, cotton, oil plants, vegetables, fruits, pastures and turfs, flowers, woods, seed coatings, agrichemicals, processing and packing machinery, testing equipment, breeding methodology, media, consultations, etc. In conjunction with the Expo, a Global Seed Industry Summit will be held covering issues including intellectual property rights, new technologies and the outlook for the global seed industry. On behalf of ASTA, Mike Gumina, vice president of supply management for Pioneer Hi-Bred International, will present at the summit on intellectual property rights and innovation in the seed industry. ASTA Vice President of Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky and Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols will also attend both events. ASTA will represent the U.S. seed industry with a booth during the Expo; however, members are encouraged to consider participating as well. If you can not attend the Expo, but would like ASTA to display information from your company at the event, please contact Lisa Nichols. For more information on the Expo, please visit the China Seed Expo Web site at http://www.chinaseedexpo.com.cn/english/. July 23 ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne and Vice President for Government Affairs Leslie Cahill attended a briefing hosted by the Farm Foundation. The session focused on the foundation's new study, "What's Driving Food Prices?" Prepared by Purdue University economists, the report identifies three broad sets of forces driving food price increases: global changes in the production and consumption of key commodities, the depreciation of the U.S. dollar and growth in the production of biofuels. To view a copy of the report, please click here. July 23 Vice President of Scientific and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky chaired a teleconference of the Adventitious Presence Working Group of the International Seed Federation. July 31 ASTA staff hosted Cedric Poeydomenge, deputy director of the French Corn Growers Association, at the association's headquarters. President and CEO Andy LaVigne, Vice President for Scientific and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky and Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols were in attendance to discuss the many challenges facing commodity growers in France. July 26-29 Senior Director of Seed Health and Trade Ric Dunkle represented ASTA at the American Phytopathological Society (APS) centennial meetings in Minneapolis. APS has a membership of over 5,300 scientists and practitioners. The theme of the opening plenary session was "Agriculture, Food Security and Public Health: Global Issues-Global Solutions." The APS meetings are ideal for gaining up-to-date information on emerging pathogens and networking and maintaining contacts of value to ASTA in the area of seed pathology. Dunkle was invited to attend the APS Public Policy Board, which is addressing many of the same issues as ASTA. These include research capacity in the public sector, shortages of qualified specialists in areas of importance to the seed industry, public research and development programs, as well as the topics of food safety and food security. As a consulting member of the APS International Seed Federation (ISF) Pathogen Codification Ad Hoc Working Group, Dunkle participated in a special meeting to brief the APS Council on the overall status of the project, including the progress on permit issues with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service surrounding the movement of regulated pathogens among private and public laboratories. Chairman Phyllis Himmel of Seminis and William Dolezal of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, who are members of the working group, also participated in the meeting. August 4-6 Vice President of Communications Gretchen Flanley met with seed industry representatives and academics in Iowa. Flanley was hosted by both Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Iowa State University to discuss various issues of importance to the seed industry, communication strategies and research exploring the economic value of seed innovation. Seed Association of the Americans (SAA) Launches New Web Site. The new Web site includes a platform which is easy to navigate and provides information about the association, its members, country specific seed information and upcoming events and activities. Take a look at the SAA Web site by visiting www.saaseed.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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Grain Handler's Database • Seed Quality Management • CSS 2008 & Seed Expo • 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference • 125th Annual Convention |