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November 4 , 2009
Top 10 Reasons to Register NOW for ASTA's CSS 2009 & Seed Expo! Also known as the Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Seed Research Conference, CSS 2009 & Seed Expo draws approximately 2,500 attendees from the corn, sorghum and soybean industry, as well as other segments of the seed industry to attend the trade show of more than 115 exhibitors in over 160 booths. Get the greatest VALUE from your convention attendance - register now and hit the TOP TEN! 10. They are giving away credit! Attendance at this year's CSS 2009 and Seed Expo can earn credit towards the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) certification, offered by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). At the back of each "accredited" session, white sign-in sheets will be provided. Simply sign in and sign out to the session you attend, and ASTA will submit your credits to the ASA. 9. Experience agricultural paparazzi! Visit the new ASTA Media Room for any media needs or information. The Media Room will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 9-10. Press events can be scheduled at the request of ASTA members on a first come, first serve basis. Members can also use the Media Room to distribute press releases or other information that may be of interest. Media receive free registration. Please contact Gretchen Flanley for more information. 8. Recruit the cream of the crop, visit the FuSE Career Lounge at the 2009 Seed Expo. The Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Lounge offers students, those new to the industry, and employers a center to meet with representatives from FuSE, who are the rising stars and next generation of the seed industry. Poster presentations will highlight the current research by those students in attendance. 7. Be there or be square. If you can't be there in person, you can still benefit from the cutting edge information generated from the extensive CSS 2009 programming. Check out ASTA's Virtual Access after the convention to access audio clips, Power Point slides and other session materials. 5. Learn the tricks of the trade at the Production and Industry Workshop. When you attend a convention, is your team taking all of the right steps for your maximum ROI? Convention and trade show veteran Fred Fox of The Exhibitor Institute takes you on a 90 minute journey on Dec. 9, from the pre-show marketing to the on-site connections to the post-show follow-up steps you should be taking to get the best value out of attending CSS 2009 & Seed Expo or any convention or trade show. You might be amazed at the simple things that make all the difference to your bottom line! Get started now and visit the Exhibitor Success Center online for some pre-show tips! 4. Research the cutting edge research for seed - corn, sorghum and soybean! CSS 2009's (representing the 64rd Corn and Sorghum Seed Research Conference and the 39th Soybean Seed Research Conference) research conference agenda has been streamlined to offer a series of sessions on improving yields through breeding, biotechnology and crop protection, how these advances in yield and qualities may impact the agricultural outlook and more during the two and a half days of programming. 3. Find out the latest in the alphabet soup of the seed world! BQMS, IPR, PVP, SPS, GEM... and so on. CSS 2009 will offer a wide range of ASTA committee meetings focusing on issues of importance to the corn, sorghum and soybean sectors as well as the broad seed industry! ASTA committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated. Please check the conference schedule for details. 2. Be hip and "Facebook" ASTA for the latest convention information and best networking! ASTA's new Facebook page is a hub of information for upcoming meetings, discussions on seed industry issues and a great place to network with other ASTA members and fans! Click here to join Facebook and become a fan! Visit the CSS 2009 and Seed Expo Web site for the latest information on the TOP TEN events and much more! Visit the New ASTA Suppliers Guide - Online! Provided through the leadership of ASTA's Associates Division, the 2009 ASTA Suppliers Guide, a directory of all current ASTA Associate Members (defined as suppliers to the seed industry) has been transformed from its previous book format to a more advanced online tool. The guide can be found on ASTA's Web site, under the Members Only section (lower left column). This new online tool offers a quick reference guide to a variety of companies searchable by category or alphabetically to better connect suppliers in the seed industry to their customers. Companies listed in the guide range from packaging and equipment dealers to seed testing labs to investment and legal firms, and much, much more. The Suppliers Guide is another example of the tremendous value of ASTA membership! Media Opportunities Offered at CSS 2009 CSS 2009 & Seed Expo will once again offer a Media Room on Dec. 10-11. The exclusive use space is being made available to media attending the event and will also accommodate press events for ASTA member companies. Press events will be scheduled at the request of ASTA members on a first come, first serve basis. Members can also use the Media Room to distribute press releases or other information that may be of interest. To enhance the media's experience at this important seed industry event, ASTA has equipped the room with free access to wireless Internet, a phone line, work space, informational materials and beverage service. ASTA members interested in holding a press event or in supplying information in the Media Room should contact Gretchen Flanley.
ASTA Calls for Poster Presentations! The CSS 2009 & Seed Expo is seeking graduate students in corn, sorghum and soybean university breeding programs to present a poster summarizing their thesis work at the convention. The Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Lounge inside the Seed Expo exhibit hall will once again feature these poster presentations within their booth. Students who wish to present posters must register and send a notification with their name, title of their poster, university affiliation and name of their major professor to Jennifer Lord by Nov. 15. If more than 30 requests are received, the Planning Committee will select those to be used at the meeting. Graduate student registration is free with proof of enrollment. Don't miss this exciting opportunity for networking and adding to your resume!
ASTA Welcomes New Addition to Staff! Anna Burks joined ASTA on Oct. 26, 2009, as the manager of international and domestic programs. Her principal responsibility is to manage the international department's USDA cooperator funded programs. She also helps the government affairs and communication departments. Prior to joining ASTA, Anna served as the public relations and marketing intern at the Association of General Contractors of America (AGC). Coming from an agricultural family out of Arkansas, Anna is from Bedford, Va., and has been living in the Washington, D.C. area since attending George Mason University, where she graduated with a double major in Communications with a Public Relations Concentration and Art History. Her interests include cooking, reading, running and travel. "From my internship at AGC, I have come to really appreciate the environment and services a trade association can foster for its members," said Anna. "I am excited to begin my professional career at ASTA and to contribute to bringing these benefits to our members." Anna Burks can be reached through the ASTA office or by email at aburks@amseed.org.
Registration Opens for ASTA's 49th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference Click here to register for the 49th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference to be held Jan. 23-26, 2010, at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa. This year's conference retains the traditional Saturday to Tuesday pattern and offers up to 50 locations for exhibit booths or reserved appointment tables in the Trading Room. Attendees will find a comprehensive education program addressing biotechnology, organic production, intellectual property protection and more, including a special general session featuring a study by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) that follows up on work by the late Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Norman Borlaug. Take advantage of the special events and outings available in conjunction with the conference. ASTA's own "Viva Las Vegas Welcome Reception" on Sunday, Jan. 24, sponsored by Syngenta Seed Care, will feature food, fun and networking as well as an opportunity to support the First the Seed Foundation with some Vegas-style fun. This year's "ASTA Gives Back" will provide volunteers for a special community outreach project at Springs Preserve, and the ASTA Golf Tournament will be held at TPC Las Vegas. Register now for the conference and reserve your hotel room (using password ASTA) at the special group rate. For more information, contact Jennifer Lord. Check Out the Latest on ASTA's Facebook page! Fans of ASTA's Facebook page (visit the home page for the CSS 2009 & Seed Expo to become a fan) this week will be treated to a "behind-the-scenes" photo collection of the ASTA 127th Annual Convention Committee's recent trip to San Antonio, Texas. The committee has taken painstaking efforts to help prepare and select our programming for the convention, being held June 26-30, 2010 at the brand new J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, opening in January 2010. Here's your chance to see ASTA's Chairman and First Lady Jerry and Pam Monk in their hard hats and safety vests! Become an ASTA Facebook fan today! OECD Working Group Initiates Project on Seed LLP The Working Group on the Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agreed in June 2009 to begin a project on seed low level presence (LLP). At a meeting held Oct. 19-20, 2009, the OECD Working Group agreed on the first step in the project, soliciting responses to a questionnaire on countries' experiences with seed LLP. The project will focus on the environmental safety aspects of LLP and will be complementary to a project on LLP in food and feed that has been completed by the Codex Alimentarius. ASTA Vice President of Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky attended the OECD October meeting. ASTA's Country Working Groups are Looking for Your Participation! ASTA Country Working Groups provide an interactive forum for ASTA members, staff and regional contacts to discuss issues and develop a strategy of program goals and implementation activities specific to each of ASTA's priority markets, Argentina, Brazil, China, India and Mexico. The key issues are phytosanitary regulations, intellectual property rights and biotechnology, specifically the matter of low level presence. The Country Working Groups will participate in a joint meeting with the ASTA International Executive Committee (IEC) being held in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 7, 2009, prior to the kick-off of ASTA's CSS 2009 and Seed Expo. If you or one of your organization's U.S. or international representatives would like to contribute to any of the working groups and will be able to attend the upcoming meeting in Chicago, please contact Lisa Nichols via email for additional details. ISF Mid-Term Meetings Take Place in Krakow The International Seed Federation (ISF) held its mid-term meetings in Krakow, Poland, from Oct. 26-30, 2009. ASTA was well represented at these meetings. ASTA President and CEO Andy Lavigne and Vice President of Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky attended the meetings as well as ASTA representatives on ISF committees and sections. Some of the topics discussed at these meetings included the ISF position on intellectual property rights, ISF participation in international treaties, adventitious presence, biotechnology developments in vegetables and royalty collections for field crops. The 2010 ISF Congress will be held in Calgary, Canada, May 31-June 2. ASTA Committees: Involvement = Greater Value Corn & Sorghum Seed Research Conference Planning Committee Soybean Seed Research Conference Planning Committee Description: The Corn & Sorghum Seed Research Conference Planning Committee is responsible for the review and selection of speakers and topics at the Corn & Sorghum Seed Research Conference. The Soybean Seed Research Conference Planning Committee is responsible for the review and selection of speakers and topics at the Soybean Seed Research Conference. These committees create the programming as part of the overall Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Seed Research Conference (CSS) and Seed Expo, the largest seed industry conference in the United States, held every December in Chicago. The committees aim to bring together a variety of perspectives from experts working in corn, sorghum and soybean seed, from corporations both large and small to academia. Current Activities: Committee members are currently facilitating the speaker arrangements for CSS 2009 & Seed Expo. Some committee members serve as moderators of the conference sessions, particularly those in leadership roles. As preparations begin for the 2010 meetings, both the Corn & Sorghum and the Soybean Research Conference Planning Committees are seeking new members, with an eye towards identifying future chairmen who lead the committee's work in crafting future convention programs. Next Scheduled Meeting:
Key Contacts:
Oct. 22. ASTA Vice President for Government Affairs Leslie Cahill participated in the 9th Annual North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) in Arlington, Va. Hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the conference featured a number of speakers and presentations focusing on plant diversity and need for pollinators. Recent studies in Europe and the United States have detailed rapid declines in some very important pollinator populations, most notably honey bees. More than 90 affiliated organizations, including ASTA continue working to implement, promote and support a clear, continent wide coordinated plan of action and forum to encourage activities and research designed to document and track increases in numbers and health of both resident and migratory pollinating animals. Oct. 28. ASTA Director of State Affairs Pat Miller attended the Southern Issues Summit in Amelia Island, Fla. The event, sponsored by the Southern Crop Protection Association, CropLife America and the Biotechnology Industry Organization, featured updates on legislative activity expectations specific to agriculture for the region. Collective strategy development and individual sharing of information were the secondary focal point of the sessions. Oct. 28. ASTA Vice President for Government Affairs Leslie Cahill and Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols met with Chet Boruff, CEO of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA), to discuss the recent Afghanistan outreach project and future collaborative opportunities between ASTA and AOSCA. Nov. 2. ASTA Vice President of Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky and Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols met with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Africa technical transfer programming and follow up from the China and India Plant Variety Protection Workshops. Nov. 3-5. ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne and Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols attended the National Organic Standards Board meeting. NCCPB Names Recipient of Genetics and Plant Breeding Award Ted Crosbie, vice president of Global Plant Breeding from Monsanto Company, was named the 2009 recipient of the Genetics and Plant Breeding Award bestowed by the National Council of Commercial Plant Breeders (NCCPB). He received the award during the Crop Science Society of America Awards Reception and Ceremony on Nov. 3, 2009. Dr. Crosbie has lead virtually all of the major plant breeding research initiatives to develop the strategies, tools and organizations in the Plant Breeding Team that are the foundation for Monsanto Company's commercial success today. Dr. Crosbie organized, built, staffed and leads the largest row crop breeding organization in the world. He also is one of four primary co-leads for the largest plant technology efforts in the world. Christoph Amberger Named New European Seed Association President Dr. Christoph Amberger (executive board member of KWS SAAT AG) was unanimously elected as president of the European Seed Association (ESA) as the successor to François Desprez. His term of office is three years. Amberger sees an effective and highly competitive European seed business as being a decisive prerequisite for ensuring sufficient and high-quality food and feed production as well as using plants as renewable energy sources for the future under the difficult conditions of climate change. ESA will undertake everything it can to make a decisive contribution toward the achievement of these objectives. ESA's General Assembly has put forth an umbrella platform toward these objectives: establishment of a pan-European quality assurance system for seed treatment, evaluation of the intellectual property rights system for plant breeding and regulations urgently needed for the marketing of genetically modified seed. Montana Agriculture Morns Industry Loss Pam Langley, executive director of the Montana Agricultural Business Association (MABA) and Montana Grain Elevator Association (MGEA) passed away Oct. 28, 2009. Born on a farm in Rudyard, Mont., Pam was a graduate of the University of Montana's School of Journalism. She served as executive director of MABA and MGEA for 21 year and also as a registered lobbyist. She is survived by her mother, son, daughter and grandchildren. ASTA extends our condolences to Pam's family.
Government Reports USDA
USDA/AMS
USDA/ARS
USDA/APHIS
USDA/ERS
USDA/NASS
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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129th Annual Convention • 2011 Farm & Lawn Seed Conf. • CSS 2011 & Seed Expo • 51st Vegetable & Flower Seed Conf. |