Seed E-News

March 2, 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. ASTA respects your privacy and does not share this mailing list with other parties. If you have received this publication in error, you may unsubscribe at the end of this page. Questions, comments and your industry news are welcome — contact Lisa Dry at ASTA.

Past issues can be viewed here .

U.S. Corn Plantings to Reach 60-Year High of 87 Million Acres

"We foresee corn planted area for 2007 increasing 8.7 million acres to 87 million acres in 2007," Keith Collins, USDA Chief Economist told a standing room only audience this week during the USDA Outlook Conference held in Crystal City, Va. He added, "It'll be the highest corn plantings in 60 years." USDA expects a record-large corn crop of 12.2 billion bushels.

"Agriculture at the Crossroads - Energy, Farm & Rural Policy," was the theme of the two-day meeting, and energy and biofuels issues kept the rooms packed with growers, trade groups and financial analysts. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns opened the conference by noting that agricultural issues are at the center of issues important to the United States.

"Whether it's achieving energy independence, whether it's improving the environment, or creating a new framework of rules for international trade -- agriculture holds the solutions that can create a more secure and a more prosperous future for not only Americans for for a world."

ASTA's Andy LaVigne moderated a panel titled "Enhancing Productivity and Security With Genetic Diversity." Speakers from USDA ARS, University of California Davis, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International noted that biotechnology is helping to preserve biodiversity, and that new breeding technologies are attracting more students to the field of plant science and breeding.

All speeches and some webcasts, can be found here.

State of the States...

California. A freshman legislator introduced AB 541 that would make companies developing biotech crops liable for damages if the work results in contamination of other fields. The bill also would ban open-field production of genetically engineered crops used in the development of plant-made pharmaceuticals. Read article in Sacramento Bee.

Illinois. SBO419 requiring notification labeling of any product containing genetically modified ingredients has hit a couple of roadblocks and is not expected to make progress through the legislature. Seed dealers would have been required to comply, as well. Nine other states have similar bills introduced at this time.

Mississippi. The Mississippi Seedsmen's Association met last weekend in Tunica, Miss. More than 150 attendees participated in the program featuring a variety of updates on state issues. Among the topics covered were an update on the Liberty Link Rice issue, Farm Bill expectations, and an aggressive commodity forecast. An auction to raise funds for the association's fourth scholarship netted over $15,000. Terry Dulaney of Dulaney Seed in Clarksdale was elected President of the association for the coming year.

For more information contact ASTA Director of State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Pat Miller.

On Capitol Hill...

Earlier this week the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture held a hearing to review USDA's proposals for specialty crops and organic agriculture in the 2007 Farm Bill. Chairman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA-18) noted that "Specialty crops comprise a substantial percentage of American agriculture, but receive far less than their fair share in federal support. We must look for resourceful and innovative ways to weave non-traditional commodities into existing programs and create new ones that suit the unique needs of these industries." USDA Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner presented testimony and answered questions from subcommittee members about the specialty crop title to the USDA 2007 Farm Bill proposals the agency released on January 31.

House Ag Committee Adopts Budget Letter. The House Agriculture Committee adopted the budget views and estimates letter which outlines the Committee's budget recommendations for the federal agencies and programs under its jurisdiction, outlining the funding issues at the forefront of the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. The letter shares the views of the Agriculture Committee following the series of field hearings held by the committee last year to meet with farmers and ranchers across America, as well as processors and consumers, about current farm policies and where they can be improved. A copy of the budget and estimates letter is available on the committee website. Each member of the committee will have an opportunity to submit additional views before the letter is filed on Monday, March 5.

The House Committee on Agriculture has announced upcoming hearings as listed below; note that they are subject to change. For information on how to listen online to the hearings click here.

Wed., March 7th - 1:00 p.m.
1302 Longworth House Office Building
Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research -Public Hearing.
RE: Review of the financing structure of renewable energy resources.

Thurs., March 8th - 10:00 a.m.
1302 Longworth House Office Building
Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry-Public Hearing.
RE: Review of the impact of feed costs on the livestock industry.

Grain and Oilseeds Drive Ag Exports to Record $78 Billion

This week USDA Secretary Mike Johanns announced an increase in the forecast for agricultural exports to a record $78 billion for fiscal year 2007. "Projections show 2007 exports would be up $9.3 billion over last year, the second largest increase on record, and the fourth year of back-to-back records," said Johanns. Read more...

Just for Fun...
Seed Catalogs a Source of Optimism According to AARP Magazine

From the March & April 2007 issue of AARP Magazine on optimism and seed catalogs:

Nothing previews hope like one of these dream books, a menu of winter's lovely parting gifts. According to the Smithsonian Institution whose huge collection of the publications dates back to 1830, seed catalogs "provide a history of botany and plant research such as the introduction of plant varieties into the United States. Additionally, the seed trade catalogs are a window into the history of graphic arts in advertising, and a social history, through the text and illustrations, showing changing fashions in flowers and vegetables." That's nice. This is nicer: a new seed catalog carries the promise that for that bald patch out there in the front yard, things are soon going to look much, much better.

Link to the Smithsonian collection which also includes biographies of seedsmen.

Company News and People on the Move

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., has relaunched its website - www.pioneer.com - to bring growers and other users updated content, improved navigation and a more user-friendly, results-driven search engine.

Upcoming Industry Events

Western Society of Weed Science Annual Meeting
3/13 - 3/15
Portland, OR

ASTA/USDA Conservation Workshop
3/15 - 3/16
USDA South Building
Washington, DC Contact Leslie Cahill

APHIS/ASTA Phytosanitary Workshop
3/22
USDA Whitten Building
Washington, DC Contact Alexis Ellicott

California Seed Association Annual Meeting
3/25 - 3/28
Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Coronado, CA

Click here for a schedule of additional industry events