Seed E-News

February 6, 2004

ASTA announces USDA-Seed Industry Workshops
ASTA is pleased to announce two important workshops that will be held in March 2004 at headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. On March 18, 2004 a workshop for native seed companies will be conducted to discuss Farm Bill implementation, opportunities for native seed companies and efforts to communicate and coordinate programs affecting native seed. The second workshop will take place on March 25 and will be devoted to organic seed issues. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be on hand to discuss implementation and enforcement of the National Organic Program. ASTA's Board of Directors established a standing Organic Committee to address issues affecting the seed industry. Both workshops will take place at USDA headquarters in Washington, DC and will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 5:00 p.m. For more information, contact ASTA on 703-837-8140.

USDA/PVPO grants protection to 18 new Plant Varieties
In Washington, D.C. on January 22, 2004 the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued certificates of protection to developers of 18 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include bluegrass, corn, onion, rice, ryegrass, safflower, soybean and vinca. The 18 certificates are being issued under the Plant Variety Protection Act. The certificates require that the varieties be new, distinct, uniform and stable. The owners will have the exclusive right to reproduce, sell, import and export their products in the United States for the duration of protection. The 18 certificates are:

• the Award, BlueChip, GPA and Odyssey varieties of kentucky bluegrass, developed by J.R. Simplot Company, Post Falls, Idaho;
• the I181664, I026458, I015011, I014738 and GF6151 varieties of field corn, developed by DEKALB Genetics Corporation, DeKalb, Ill.;
• the 3327 variety of field corn, developed by Asgrow Seed Company LLC, St. Louis, Mo.;
• the NuMex Camino* variety of onion, developed by New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Las Cruces, N.M.;
• the L-205 and M-402* varieties of rice, developed by California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, Inc., Biggs, Calif.;
• the Secretariat variety of perennial ryegrass, developed by Grassland West Company, Clarkston, Wash.;
• the S-719* variety of safflower, developed by California Oils Corporation, Woodland, Calif.;
• the Moon Cake and Tara varieties of soybean, developed by U.S. Government, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Beltsville, Md.; and
• the Victory Apricot and Victory Cranberry varieties of vinca, developed by Sakata Seed Corporation, Yokohama, Japan.

In the United States seed of this variety (1) shall be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed and (2) shall conform to the number of generations specified by the owner of the rights (84 STAT. 1542, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2321 ET SEQ).

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service administers the Plant Variety Protection Act, which provides time limited marketing protection to developers of new and distinct seed- reproduced and tuber-propagated plants ranging from farm crops to flowers. For additional information contact the Plant Variety Protection Office at telephone (301) 504-5518, fax (301) 504-5291 or the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/science/PVPO/pvp.htm.

USDA announces 2004 Loan Rates for Corn, Grain Sorghum and Soybeans
In Washington D.C. on Thursday, February 5, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the 2004 national and county loan rates for corn, grain sorghum and soybeans, as authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill. Follow this link to read the Press Release. To access the 2004-Crop County Loan Rates for corn, grain sorghum and soybeans, follow this link Loan Rates.

The Seed Industry in U.S. Agriculture
Unprecedented growth in crop yields and agricultural total factor productivity over the past 70 years owes much to biological innovation embodied in seeds, beginning with the development of hybrid crops in the US in the early part of the 20th century, continuing with the Green Revolution of the 1960s and early 1970s, and, more recently, modern biotechnology. Throughout this period, the seed industry has evolved. The Seed Industry in U.S. Agriculture: An Exploration of Data and Information on Crop Seed Markets, Regulation, Industry Structure, and Research and Development, published by the USDA, explores data and information on crop seed markets, regulation, industry, and R&D relating to the U.S. seed industry. To access the publication, follow this link Seed Industry.

US Ban on Brazilian and Argentine Soy Imports
On Friday, February 6, Representative Tom Latham (R-IA) introduced a bill to the House of Representatives that would ban the import of South American soybeans and soy products in an effort to prevent the spread of Asian Rust. Noting that South America exports only a small quantity to the US, sources in South America believe that the proposed ban would have little impact. There is concern, however, concern that bigger markets for South American soy products could follow the US lead. For more on this story, follow this link US Soy Ban.

EU sees GM Import soon, Belgium bans Rapeseed Crop
The European Union's Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner, David Byrne, said on February 2 that he expected that the de facto ban on GM food products would be lifted in a few months with the approval of imports of BT-11 sweetcorn made by Swiss firm Syngenta. However, in a move that highlights the division in Europe over GM foods, the Belgian Environment Minister Freya Van der Bossche announced that Belgium would block a bid by Bayer AG to start the approval process for the cultivation of GN rapeseed. For more on this story, follow this link Forbes.com.

UC Davis announces Course in Breeding with Molecular Markers
The University of California Davis Seed Biotechnology Center and UC Davis Extension are offering a two-day short course on February 10 and 11, 2004 for professionals in the seed industry. Breeding with Molecular Markers will focus on strategies for using molecular tools in different breeding schemes and crops. Participants will learn what technologies are currently available for different crops. Leading industry and university experts will guide participants on how, when and what types of molecular markers should be used in breeding programs, including marker-assisted selection, accelerated backcrossing, and quantitative trait loci. This course is also an opportunity for breeders who are already using these tools to expand their knowledge of new strategies and technologies and for laboratory personnel to appreciate how the marker data that they generate are applied in breeding programs. The course takes place in Davis. To request more information about this course or to enroll, call (530) 757-8899, e-mail aginfo@unexmail.ucdavis.edu or visit the website at www.extension.ucdavis.edu/agriculture/index.asp.

5th Annual National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week
The Invasive Weeds Awareness Coalition and others who support invasive plant management and ecosystem restoration are organizing the 5th Annual National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week February 23-26, 2004 in Washington, D.C. For more information, please follow this link http://ficmnew.fws.gov/iwac/niwaw_v/index.html.

Plant Variety Intellectual Property Rights Seminar
The UC Davis Technology Transfer Center and Morrison & Foerster LLP are co-hosting a seminar entitled Protecting, Defending and Enforcing Plant Variety Intellectual Property Rights. Keynote speaker Dr. Paul Zankowski is a UC Davis graduate and Commissioner of the U.S. Plant Variety Protection Office. The seminar will take place on campus at the University Club on Tuesday March 2, 2004 at 1:00 - 4:30, with a reception to follow. For more information, follow this link http://www.mofo.com/events/plant-ip/. For registration follow this link http://ovcr.ucdavis.edu/ttc/register/home.cfm.

4th Annual Native Seed Quality Conference
Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. will host their 4th Annual Native Seed Quality Conference in Sioux Falls, SD on February 24 and 25, 2004. This day and a half meeting will provide the latest information on native seed quality and will include topics on CRP, Native Forb Production, TZ test viability, source ID program, Drought Tolerance, Moisture, Storage, Wildflowers, and many others. Leslie Cahill, ASTA Vice President for Government Affairs, will give an update on the ASTA Environment and Conservation Committee Activities. A complete listing of speakers and topics can be found at www.mwseed.com/workshops.htm or by calling Michelle Robbins at (605) 692-7611.

2004 Congress of the African Seed Trade Association
The 2004 Congress of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) is scheduled for March 24-26, 2004 in the historic city of Tunis, Tunisia. Since it’s inception in 2000, AFSTA has grown significantly in regional stature and membership. The AFSTA Congress is now the premier event for the seed industry in Africa and offers unparalleled opportunity for those that wish the develop business relationships with the African seed industry. In addition, the Congress program has been designed to foster discussion on all critical issues facing the seed industry throughout the continent. The National Organizing Committee (NOC) of AFSTA Congress has obtained a 50% discount on all flights with Tunis Air for all the participants of the AFSTA Congress. To benefit from this offer, please contact Tunis Air agency or your travel agency by specifying that you are participant in AFSTA Congress 2004. Visas can be obtained from the Tunisian Embassy in your country. You should contact the NOC of the congress at espace.vert@planet.tn or info@afstacongress.com to request for an invitation letter to complete your visa application. The NOC has already informed all the Tunisian Embassies to facilitate delivery of the visa. Registration for the 2004 AFSTA Congress is open and registration materials and information on the Congress program, pre- and post Congress tours, can be found at www.afstacongress.com.

World Conference on Organic Seed
On July 5-7, 2004, a conference for stakeholders in the organic seed sector will be held at the headquarters of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome. Delegates are expected to include scientists, plant breeders, seed producers, farmers, certifiers, and others interested in organic farming and seed production. ASTA is represented on the conference organizing committee by Frederick ‘Chip’ Sundstrom of the California Crop Improvement Association. The conference is sponsored by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), the FAO and the International Seed Federation. The focus of the conference will on the scientific and technical aspects of organic seed issues and participants will also evaluate regulatory requirements. Registration information and a provisional program can be found by visiting www.organicseedconf.org.

Industry and People
If you have any personnel changes, or other developments in your company, that you would like included in E-News, please send details to ppatterson@amseed.org.

On-Line Membership Directory
ASTA has launched its new online membership directory to which only members will have access. This replaces the hardcopy directory issued in the past. Members should have received letters with their individual User ID and password. Members will have access to three directories – member companies, individuals and ASTA committees. Members will be able to search and sort within each directory in several ways, by member type, region, division, product and seed type. Members will also have the ability to e-mail an individual or group from the search results. We are confident that members will find this a valuable benefit of ASTA membership. If you have any problems accessing the new on-line directory, please contact Peter Patterson at ppatterson@amseed.org or by calling him on 703-837-8140.

ASTA Membership Database
The on-line directory draws on the information held in the ASTA membership database. It is essential, therefore, that this information is accurate and up to date. Please take a moment to check the directory to see if any of your information has changed since you joined. Please let us know of any changes to your company name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, company ASTA representatives, etc. Details of changes can be mailed to the ASTA offices at 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 650, Alexandria, VA 22314-2875, faxed to 703-837-9365, or e-mailed to Peter Patterson, Director, Membership Services, at ppatterson@amseed.org. Changes to the database will be made as they are received and it is intended to run the program to update the directory on Friday each week. However, if there is a significant number of changes, the program will be run more often.

Upcoming Events

May 24-26, 2004
International Seed Federation Congress
Berlin, Germany
www.worldseed2004.com

June 27-30, 2004
121st ASTA Annual Convention
Wyndham Franklin Plaza
Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 1-888.890.7333
For more information on this joint meeting with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, please follow this link Speakers.

November 7-8, 2004
ASTA 50th Farm & Lawn Seed Conference
Westin Crown Center
Kansas City, MO

December 8-10, 2004
ASTA 34th Soybean & 59th Corn & Sorghum Conferences and Seed Expo 2004
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL
Tel: 1-888.890.7333

June 19-22, 2005
122nd ASTA Annual Convention
Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Tower
Seattle, WA

July 7-14, 2006
Joint ASTA-CSTA Annual Convention
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL