News Releases

DATE:	May 22, 2002
CONTACT:	Jane Stickley
	(703) 837-8140 X331

2002 Boston Seed Party: The Gene Revolution

ALEXANDRIA, VA--Where will valuable information, high-level speakers, history, and Old World charm come together? The American Seed Trade Association’s (ASTA’s) 119th Annual Convention in Boston, Mass., June 23-26, 2002, will have it all. The meeting, “One if by Land, Two if by Seed,” will shed light from Boston’s Old North Church on compelling issues that affect the entire seed industry. These issues include the impact of genetic science on the seed industry, driving factors of agribusiness, global protection of intellectual property and genetic resources, and brand marketing strategies to increase product or company value.

James Watson, Ph.D., 1962 Nobel Prize winner for co-discovering DNA’s structure, and author of several books on genetics, will kick off the meeting as the keynote speaker on Mon., June 24, 8-10 AM. This year coincides with the 50th anniversary of his discovery. In honor of this, he will re-discover DNA’s double helix in his talk, describing the progress plant breeding has made since 1953, the year of his breakthrough research. Watson will discuss the past, present, and promising future of genetic science, especially as it relates to seed.

David Bossman, president and CEO of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), will discuss on Tues., June 25, 8-10 AM, some of the seed industry’s key customers: livestock and feed producers. The majority of all corn seed goes into feed production in the United States and many other types of seed are used for this purpose. AFIA represents nearly 75 percent of the commercial feed and pet food sold annually in the United States.

Juan Enriquez, Ph.D., director of Harvard Business School's Life Science Project, will “catch the future” for attendees on Wed., June 26, 8-10 AM, with a summary of his book As the Future Catches You: How Genomics and Other Forces Are Changing Your Life, Your Work, Your Investments, Your World. He will discuss the gene revolution and its impact on the seed industry and daily life. It will be a thrill to “catch” what Enriquez predicts for tomorrow.

In addition to these general session speakers, some ASTA committees will have speakers.

Scott Baucum, trait stewardship lead for U.S. markets of Monsanto, will discuss intellectual property protection on a global playing field during the Intellectual Property Rights Committee meeting on June 24, 10:30 AM-12 PM. In addition, Henry Shands, Ph.D., director of the National Seed Storage Laboratory, will address the impact of the United Nations’ International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources on seed development and trade.

The International Committee meeting on June 24, 1:30-3 PM, will feature Michael Muschick, Ph.D., secretariat of the International Seed Testing Association. This association develops, adopts and publishes standard procedures for sampling and testing seeds and promotes uniform application of these procedures to evaluate seeds moving in international trade.

Attorney William DiSalvatore will address patent litigation and other intellectual property issues during the Biotechnology Committee meeting on June 25, 10:30 AM-12 PM. His practice focuses on intellectual property and commercial litigation, technology disputes, and client counseling.

Elliott Ettenberg, CEO of Customer Strategies Worldwide and author of The Next Economy, will cover brand marketing strategies in a value-added seminar on June 26, 1:30-3:30 PM, sponsored by ASTA’s Management Skills Committee.

All events will be at the Westin Copley Place, located at 10 Huntington Avenue in downtown Boston. For more information and registration, go to the Boston web pages.

###

Founded in 1883, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), located in Alexandria, Va., is one of the oldest trade organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of about 800 companies involved in seed production and distribution, plant breeding, and related industries in North America. As an authority on plant germplasm, ASTA advocates science and policy issues of industry importance. Its mission is to enhance the development and free movement of quality seed worldwide.