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June 3, 2009
Top 10 Reasons Not to Miss ASTA's 126th Annual Convention in Sunny Scottsdale! Get the greatest VALUE from your convention attendance - hit the TOP TEN!
10. Become Dora the Explorer! Not only can you explore 560 acres and a $60 million newly renovated Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, you will be within driving distance to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon. Take advantage of the unique learning and networking opportunity offered by the Seed Trade Association of Arizona and the Arizona Crop Improvement Association, a Special Evening of Arizona Agriculture on Saturday, June 20, featuring not only special presentations by a variety of Arizona agricultural experts and operations, but also olive oil tastings and a fun-filled barbeque with dairy-farm fresh ice cream! 9. Free Business Advice - and It's Even Good! For 2009-2010 year, ASTA will offer a new exclusive opportunity, the ASTA Exhibitor Success Center, provided by the Associates Division. The center is an online tool designed to help exhibitors analyze their current exhibition strategy, whether participating in ASTA shows or otherwise, to better formulate a game plan to ensure that pre-planning, trade show face time and follow up with leads are maximized. Complimentary to all ASTA exhibitors, the center will help get the most return on your representational investment at ASTA events. For more information, please visit the exhibitor registration page. 8. Social Networking Galore. The 21st century has marked a new way of conducting business. We now have blogs, podcasts, Webinars, Facebook and Twitter! ASTA offers some old fashioned networking opportunities that have years of proven success. Join us for the Saguaro Welcome Fiesta on June 21 and the Gala Reception and Banquet on June 23 where you can reconnect with old friends and colleagues and build new relationships throughout the many segments of the seed industry. For those interested in more active pursuits, check out the Gary Arthur Memorial 5K Fun Run/Walk or the ASTA Golf Tournament! 7. The Seed Industry is HOT! You are certain to see the excitement of the seed industry as you visit the Networking Hot Spot, the center of convention activity and exhibits. The Networking Hot Spot offers everything you need in one place: registration, free wireless Internet access, Cyber Café computers, a complimentary business center, refreshments and a host of exhibitors ready to discuss their services with you... all steps away from the convention educational sessions and business meetings! 6. Be a Cornerstone to a Foundation, Build a Strong Industry and Win BIG! Celebrating 50 years, the American Seed Research Foundation (ASRF) is a cornerstone for key research projects that help shape our industry's future. Dr. Hiro Nonogaki, an associate professor specializing in seed biology at Oregon State University, will be featured at ASRF's Annual Meeting, presenting on "enhancer trap," a powerful approach to identify tissue and stage-specific gene expression in plants and animals. The meeting will be held on June 23. In addition, the First the Seed Foundation will conduct an open Board of Directors meeting on June 24 and will provide presentations on its ongoing efforts to support seed education for school children as it heads into its second year of existence. Don't miss the First the Seed Foundation booth - they're giving away a chance to win a large flat screen television for anyone giving a donation of $100 or more at the convention! 5. You Too can be a "Phyto-man"! Stronger than a rust, more powerful than a beetle, you too can be Phyto-man! This Phytosanitary Committee meeting will not only provide the latest updates on regulatory issues related to international seed trade from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspections Service representatives, but a mini workshop will be offered on seed re-export. The workshop will also look at efforts to develop a regional standard on re-export through the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO). 4. Know Your Rights! Intellectual property rights (IPR) are a fundamental tool used by developers, both private and public, to allow and promote research to bring further innovation. IPR is critical to the innovation of any industry. The same is true in the seed industry. This session will feature the latest research on the relationship between IPR, reinvestment and value. A panel will follow, where panel members from different segments of agricultural research and production will respond to the findings and provide their respective viewpoints on IPR. 3. There is Nothing "General" about These Sessions! Four big "general" sessions have been designed with you in mind. Learn the latest trends in both global and domestic business, the credit market, agriculture and sustainability and how to best position your company for the future. Don't miss the keynote presentation by The Honorable Carlos Gutierrez, former chairman of the board and CEO of the Kellogg Company and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce at the Opening General Session. Get warmed up for the sessions ahead with the motivational life and words of this keynote speaker over coffee and a full breakfast. 2. First Dibs on the X's and Y's. Not the same as the "p's and q's," the X and Y generations are the future of the seed industry. The Annual Convention is full of opportunities for you to get involved in building that future generation. In addition to the meetings of the Future Seed Executives (FuSE) and Management Skills Committee, ASRF will partner with FuSE to announce the recipient of the Roger Krueger Memorial Scholarship (see article below). A lucky 13 students at the bachelor and post graduate levels will be in attendance through the ASRF Operation Student Connection and FuSE's Campus Connections. See what talent you may be able to mine. 1. It's All about YOU! ASTA prides itself on being a member-driven organization and over the years the Annual Convention has evolved from a ceremonial event into a hard-working collection of sessions on a variety of issues of vital importance to your company's present and future. Real policy decisions and work gets done at the Annual Convention, and in these trying times it is essential, now more than ever, for your voice to be heard. Don't let decisions on issues that affect so many be steered by only the few! ASTA represents companies from small, family-owned businesses to multi-national corporations, from organic to biotech, from alfalfa to zucchini. The ASTA Annual Convention is the only convention of the Association that brings together every one of its commodity divisions, comprising corn, sorghum, soybean, vegetable, flower, farm and lawn seed, plus brokers, agents, suppliers, students, and all standing committees for concerns in organic seed, biotechnology, stewardship, intellectual property rights, legislative and legal concerns, phytosanitary issues, state and regional issues, and more. Here is the only place where matters affecting the entire seed industry can be discussed in one place. ASTA needs your participation to effectively represent all of the seed industry. As the convention motto, "Brighten Your Future with ASTA" illuminates, "what you put into ASTA is what you get out of it," a stated mission of ASTA Chairman Kelly Keithly for the 2008-2009 year. Keithly remarked, "My membership in ASTA has provided me with the opportunity to meet with many different seedsmen over the years from all different levels in the industry. As these opportunities arose, my thought processes have widened and enabled me to develop my business in ways to better serve my suppliers as well as my customers. Keithly-Williams Seeds has evolved and grown due in large part to the Association and friendships that have developed from my membership in ASTA." See you in Scottsdale! Click here to register for the convention. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the Annual Convention. Click here to see how your company can participate.
American Seed Research Foundation to Award 2009 Roger Krueger Memorial Scholarship In 2007, the seed industry lost a man whose professional career was devoted to seed and agricultural research - Roger Krueger. Roger passionately promoted the role of science in feeding the world. He sincerely wanted to make the world a better place and to effectively use agricultural technology towards that aim. In 2008, the American Seed Research Foundation (ASRF) established the Roger Krueger Memorial Scholarship Endowment to remember him and to advance his vision through young minds. "Our goal is to preserve the memory of Roger and honor his work within the industry and ASRF through the scholarship," said Rob Robinson, ASRF president. "This scholarship would remind us of Roger's dedication to science and increase the awareness of career opportunities in the seed industry for those with interest in plant sciences." ASRF extends a "thank you" to all who have contributed to the fund which has allowed ASRF to award its first scholarship in 2008 to Jose Rotundo. Jose successfully defended his thesis in February 2009, majoring in crop production technology at Iowa State University. ASRF is very close to reaching the fund's endowment goal - become a part of this legacy by donating today. The interest from the permanent endowment will be used to perpetuate scholarships for students in agriculture - the future of the seed industry. The donation is tax deductible, and the entire contribution to the Roger Krueger Scholarship Endowment will be used for scholarships. Please make checks payable to the Roger Krueger Memorial Scholarship and mail to 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 650, Alexandria, VA 22306. For more information, please contact ASRF Secretary/Treasurer Ann Jorss or by phone at the ASTA office. ASTA Announces Nominations for Officer Elections at the 126th Annual Convention ASTA will elect a new slate of officers for 2009-2010 at ASTA's 126th Annual Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz., on June 22. The Nominating Committee Chairman Jim Tobin announced the following proposed slate of officers for the 2009-2010 fiscal year:
This year's Nominating Committee consists of the three most recent past chairmen with Jim Tobin acting as chairman. The other members of the nominating committee are Harry Collins and Mike Peterson. If an ASTA active member wishes to make a nomination for any of these offices from the floor on the Annual Convention on June 22, they must forward that nomination to Jim Tobin by 5 p.m. EST on June 8, 2009. If you need contact information for Jim, please contact Jason Laney, director of membership, at the ASTA office. U.S., Canada and Australia Wheat Industries Announce Coordination in Biotech Commercialization On May 14, organizations representing the wheat industry in the U.S., Canada and Australia announced a coordinated effort of synchronized commercialization of biotechnology traits for wheat. The organizations agreed that a synchronized commercialization was in the best interest of producers in all three countries with the goal to minimize market disruptions. U.S. organizations signing onto the statement include the National Association of Wheat Growers, U.S. Wheat Associates and the North American Millers' Association. Canadian signatories include Grain Growers of Canada, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association and Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission. Australian signatories include Grains Council of Australia, Grain Growers Association and Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia (Inc.). Competition from crops with biotech traits has been one factor in the declining acres of wheat production in all three countries. In addition, public and private investment in wheat research worldwide has declined. Because of the importance of wheat to the food supply, the supporting organizations agreed biotechnology could be a "significant component" to tackling major issues facing the industry. Although biotechnology is not the only answer to the host of agronomic challenges, the supportive statement by this global representation of the wheat industry is a step forward in utilizing all seed technologies to address these challenges. There is currently no commercial production of genetically engineered wheat anywhere in the world. Seed companies involved in the research and development to bring new innovation to seed, including biotechnology traits, need assurance of ground-level support for their efforts. In particular, the commercialization of a biotech trait takes a tremendous commitment of resources by a company to undertake the decade-long, multimillion-dollar investment. "To make this investment, ASTA members take a sizeable risk as they develop new seed varieties, innovation and technology for tomorrow," said ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne. "When it comes to biotechnology, this includes grower support for the technology, a path forward for commercialization and viable markets for the product." The full statement is available online at www.wheatworld.org/biotech. National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture Committee Meets The second meeting of the Standards Committee to progress the Leonardo Academy's Sustainable Agriculture Standard took place May 27-29, in Chicago. The Standard (process) is officially called "The SCS-001 Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard," which is different from the original draft standard that was set aside in the September meeting. Although the two-day meeting was at times filled with debate over the "elephants in the room" or contentious issues, in the end, the committee reached consensus to: adopt the recommendation of the March chairman's meeting to make the standard "performance-oriented;" use a "modular approach" to add new elements or sectors beyond those applicable to agricultural production up to the "farm gate," and "develop a standard that is based on verifiable metrics and will allow any technology that increases agricultural sustainability." The committee also decided on a process to move forward that will create several functional (rather than sector-specific) subcommittees to take the place of the "task forces" and will use a leadership committee (populated by former task force and new subcommittee chairs) to direct the work and make recommendations to the Leonardo Academy on how the Standards Committee should be expanded or changed to tackle its new direction. Some attendees indicated that the results were good. It is apparent that while some participants are intent on moving forward to create a standard (with lots of skeptics from all sides, including organic groups), there is also interest in possibly creating metrics around the current Keystone results and the emerging Specialty Crop Index. Minutes and notes from the meetings will be posted on the Leonardo Wiki site.
Barbara Surian Barbara Surian came to ASTA in 2001 and serves as the director of administrative services. In addition to assisting ASTA's president and CEO, she is also responsible for the general operations of the ASTA office, such as supplies, correspondence, timesheets and expense reports to name a few. Barb also serves as a liaison to many outside vendors which keep ASTA operational, from the building maintenance to the network server. Over the years, Barb has held similar positions with other companies, including Professional Resource Services, CREG Systems Corporation and Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. As a military wife, Barb has lived in Korea, Georgia, California, Germany, New York and Virginia over the last 36 years. Barb is an avid reader, and she and her husband Guy fly fish whenever they can. She has two grown daughters; one lives in Albany, N.Y. and the other in Alexandria, Va. Barb remarked, "ASTA is a wonderful association supported by the best members in the world, which I enjoy seeing at every ASTA event! It is a true pleasure to work together with them and other ASTA staff to really show how great the seed industry is." To contact Barb Surian, please contact her at the ASTA office or at bsurian@amseed.org. Bill Introduced to Ease U.S. Trade Restrictions to Cuba Senator Max Baucus, (D-MT), has introduced a bill aimed at easing U.S. trade restrictions to Cuba. The Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act of 2009 is cosponsored by 16 senators and would require USDA to promote U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. Additionally, the bill lifts the current travel ban, allowing U.S. citizens and legal residents to travel to Cuba. The measure has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. No further action has been scheduled. Climate Change Bill Clears Key House Committee The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) has cleared a key hurdle by passing the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a 33-25 vote. A key component of the bill is a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program aimed to reduce emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and an 83 percent decrease by 2050. Roughly 15 percent of the carbon permits in the framework would be auctioned off, with the remaining permits given away to a variety of interests, including electricity distributors, natural gas companies, oil refiners and carbon-intensive industries, such as steel and cement. Farm groups are hoping for improvements as the bill progresses. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, (D-MN), has said that a group of 40 to 45 democratic members are ready to defeat any climate change legislation unless their concerns over new Environmental Protection Agency regulations of ethanol and other farm-related issues are addressed. ASTA will be working with key agricultural groups to ensure that agriculture is treated favorably. Immigration Reform Sees Movement On May 14, Senator Dianne Feinstein, (D-CA), and Representatives Berman, (D-CA), and Putnam, (R-FL), introduced AgJOBS in the 111th Congress. The Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act ("AgJOBS") represents a major compromise between farm worker advocates (led by the United Farm Workers) and major agricultural employers to address the agricultural immigration crisis. AgJOBS enjoys bipartisan majority support and is endorsed by a broad spectrum of organizations. ASTA is a member of a coalition that seeks immigration reform and has been following this issue closely. Members of the ASTA Executive Committee have been briefed on the efforts of the coalition and the potential impact of the legislation. It has been reported that the White House is considering a summit on June 8 to discuss immigration with members of Congress. Florida Legislature Passes Seed Fee Increase Bill The bill (S.B. 1744), supported by the state's seed industry, revises the fees for the registration of seed dealers. Dealer registration fees will double (based on gross sales, ranging from $100 to $4,600 per year) on July 1, 2009, the effective date of the legislation. Nebraska Seed Pre-emption Bill Passes The bill that would assure that state law is pre-eminent and overrides city and county regulations of seed has passed and is on its way to the governor's desk. This measure is intended to head off problems that could occur if cities or counties started trying to regulate seed. Illinois Cool Season Grass Seed Bill Passes The Illinois Senate approved H.B. 2442, sending the bill to the governor, where it is expected to become law. This bill changes cool season grass seed labeling requirements from "Test Date" to "Sell By" notations, which is similar to food expiration date labeling. It also allows a change of the re-testing requirement from nine months to fifteen months for cool season grass seed. Maryland passed a similar bill this year. ASTA Presents 2010 Funding Application to USDA ASTA submitted their Unified Export Strategy (UES) application to USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) requesting funding assistance under the Market Development Programs. This year, ASTA requested funding in the Market Access Program (MAP), the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) and the Emerging Markets Program (EMP). The resources for these programs come from USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). MAP helps trade organizations finance promotional activities for U.S. agricultural products, FMD aids in the creation, expansion and maintenance of long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products, while EMP provides funding for technical assistance activities intended to promote exports of U.S. agricultural commodities and products to emerging markets in all geographic regions, consistent with U.S. foreign policy. For the 2010 fiscal year, ASTA developed export market strategies for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, the Mercosur region and Mexico; as well as for the global market for U.S. seed exports. The priority issues to be addressed through the market development programs are in line with ASTA's strategic plan for International Programs. "The UES application for 2010 represents the comprehensive strategy that ASTA's International Executive Committee helped determine for ASTA international efforts," said Lisa Nichols, ASTA director of international programs. "In order to determine a dynamic approach in each of ASTA's key markets, we incorporated what was learned from previous activities, along with input from member companies on issues facing the U.S. seed industry in the international marketplace." ASTA also submitted a funding application for 2009 program funds under the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program, which provides funding for projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops. For more information, please contact Lisa Nichols. ASTA Committees: Involvement = Greater Value Seed Industry Relations Committee Description: The Seed Industry Relations Committee acts as a liaison with the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA), the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) and the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (SCST) to foster communication and cooperation on issues of mutual concern. The committee also keeps abreast of domestic and international developments in methods of seed testing, seed standards and related problems between the seed industry and the seed analysts. In addition, the committee coordinates with USDA on issues related to the Organisation for Economic, Co-operation and Development (OECD) Seed Schemes as well as the Federal Seed Act and associated regulations. Current Activities: Monitoring seed count issue in which the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Stewardship is considering regulating seed count on the basis of NIST standards vs. AOSA rules. Exploring possible petition of NIST to adopt the AOSA rules. Monitoring OECD seed scheme activities, including the development of the new OECD strategic plan. Next Scheduled Meeting: Tuesday, June 23 at the ASTA 126th Annual Convention Key Contacts: May 25. ASTA staff met with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture-China Ag Trade Promotion Division to discuss opportunities for the U.S. seed industry to participate in the upcoming China Ag Trade Fair in Jilin Province Sept. 7-12, 2009. May 26. ASTA staff met with Miguel Rapela from the Argentine Seed Association to discuss ASTA's ongoing Seed Innovation in Argentina Outreach Project. May 26. ASTA staff met with consultant Jean-Louis Duval to discuss ASTA's planned capacity building activity with the Afghanistan National Seed Association (ANSA). May 26. ASTA staff met with the China National Seed Trade Association (CNSTA) to discus ASTA's upcoming activities in China. May 27.ASTA staff met with representatives from the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) and the Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) to discuss ASTA's joint workshop on Plant Variety Protection (PVP) enforcement this coming fall. May 28. ASTA's Vice President of Government Affairs Leslie Cahill met with staff representatives from House Appropriations Committee members on funding for the Market Access Program. As a USDA cooperator, ASTA receives funding for this program, in addition to the Foreign Market Development Program. Congress is expected to begin finalizing appropriations on or about June 11. ASTA is working to reiterate support for the program in a time of serious debate on budgets and fiscal responsibility with Senate and House members. Study Outlines Beneficial Contributions of Biotechnology to Economies and the Environment On May 20, PG Economics Ltd. released a study, "GM Crops: Global Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts 1996-2007," authored by Graham Brooks and Peter Barfoot. The study shows biotech crops have delivered significant global economic and environmental benefits and are making significant contributions to global agricultural production and food security. "Since 1996, biotech crop adoption has contributed to reducing the release of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, decreased pesticide spraying and significantly boosted farmers' incomes," said Graham Brookes, director of PG Economics. "The technology has also made important contributions to increasing the yields of many farmers, reducing production risks, improving productivity and raising global production of key crops. The combination of economic and environmental benefit delivery is therefore making a valuable contribution to improving the sustainability of global agriculture, with these benefits and improvements being greatest in developing countries." The full report is available to download at www.pgeconomics.co.uk. This report updates previous studies (using the same methodology), all available on the same website and (shorter versions) in the peer review scientific journal, Agbioforum www.agbioforum.org. A shorter version of this current report has also been submitted for publication in a scientific journal. Terral Seed Adds to Staff On May 26, Terral Seed announced the return of Ricky Davis to the Terral team as regional sales manager for Tennessee and Kentucky, after 12 years with Monsanto Company. He spent four years in the south with Asgrow, where he won numerous sales awards, including the prestigious "Top Overall Sales Award" for two consecutive years. He then moved to Corn States, LLC where he served as a trait system specialist and earned the "Master Sales Award." Ricky moved into the role of seed account manager in St. Louis, one of only ten positions of its kind in the U.S. Previously, Ricky spent six years with Terral as a district sales manager prior to joining Asgrow. Raised in DeWitt, Ark., Ricky attended the University of Arkansas-Little Rock where he earned his bachelor's in marketing and a Master of Business Administration.
USDA
USDA/AMS USDA/ARS
USDA/APHIS USDA/ERS
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. |