 |
 |
|
August 12 , 2009
A SEED IS PLANTED: Significant progress and alignment was achieved by the 27 representatives from the research community and the seed industry who met on June 30, 2009, in Ames, Iowa, to discuss impediments to research on commercial, patent-protected seed products and opportunities to improve the process overall. Agricultural biotechnology has brought tremendous innovation to the seed industry. A system of regulatory oversight and mechanisms to protect intellectual property has evolved along with the development and commercialization of patent-protected seed products. For this reason, commercial purchases of biotech seed, such as by farmers, requires an accompanying agreement to meet environmental stewardship needs and regulations. Agronomic studies by public sector scientists on commercially available seed have been and are routinely being conducted, and biotechnology companies provide researchers with access to this seed through individual company agreements. Although companies support hundreds of research studies annually, procedures to enable this work have not always been as clear or straight forward as possible and can vary from company to company. Further, these processes are not always transparent within the university systems themselves, often creating an additional layer of challenges for the scientists in meeting their research goals. As a result, earlier this year, some public sector researchers voiced the challenges they face in conducting research on commercially available seed with patent-protected traits. When these concerns were brought to the attention of two trade associations representing the seed industry and the agricultural biotechnology industry, the American Seed Trade Association and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (otherwise known as ASTA and BIO), a meeting was proposed with the research community to better understand, discuss and address the points raised by the researchers. The June 30 meeting brought together the appropriate industry representatives and members of the public sector research community around the same table to work toward a more harmonized and transparent approach to collaboration. Through this dialogue, both sides were able to gain insight into the others’ concerns, address some misunderstandings and bring a sense of clarity and direction for public sector research with commercial, patent-protected seed products. The dialogue identified opportunities that will help improve the overall process. The key to this significant progress was the seed industry’s commitment to a set of principles supporting public sector research on commercially available, patent-protected seed products. The goal of the principles is to enable the public sector research community to conduct independent research on commercially available seed products for the purpose of understanding the technology, education, extension and the safe and effective use of these products. The principles also recognize that the public sector research community is free to design robust, scientifically sound experimental protocols and methodologies, as well as to derive independent conclusions. Companies will facilitate these institutions’ access to commercial, licensed technologies in a way that continues to assure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, respect for intellectual property and use of comprehensive stewardship programs that promote the responsible and safe management of these commercially available products. In addition, the principles commit to a regular and ongoing dialogue between the seed industry and the public sector researchers and institutions. A final version of the principles will be presented at the ASTA’s Executive Committee of the Board of Directors on Sept. 17 and at BIO’s Food and Agriculture Section Governing Board Sept. 10 for approval and adoption. Although every company must determine independently the terms under which it will implement these principles, they demonstrate the commitment of the seed and biotechnology industries to public sector research. “Although the ‘devil is in the details,’ we’ll have to see how each company implements the principles. However, it was reassuring to see that the seed industry is taking public researchers’ concerns seriously and has made tremendous progress in developing consensus on a set of principles in support of public research,” said Ken Ostlie, an entomologist at the University of Minnesota. The collaborative group is exploring plans for the next meeting to foster an ongoing dialogue and fulfill the mission to support the public good through broad-based laboratory and field research programs, educational outreach, continued pursuit of knowledge using controlled and rigorous experiments, and publication in scientific and popular literature. “I went into the meeting hopeful, but also somewhat skeptical. Although I’m still a little wary, the seed companies represented at the meeting seem committed to solving the problems we discussed. They certainly can be solved, and I'm cautiously optimistic they will be,” said one researcher in attendance of the Ames meeting. “In the end, we had a substantive discussion. If the draft principles we saw are adopted and acted on in the spirit in which they were presented, they will definitely take us in the right direction. Anticipated agreements based on the principles should functionally provide us with the freedom to conduct independent research on commercially available seed and to report our findings, whatever they may be, without interference.” “The seed industry continues to be strongly committed to supporting research by public sector scientists," responded ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne. “This research ensures agricultural technologies are used responsibly in the environment, deliver value to growers, and provide food, feed, fiber and fuel for a growing world.” Phytosanitary Issues Focus of Upcoming SAA Congress The Seed Association of the Americas (SAA) together with the Brazilian Association of Seed Producers (ABRASEM) is organizing the second SAA Congress addressing regional seed issues which will be held Sept. 28-30, 2009 in Atibaia, Brazil. The first day of the congress will be dedicated to phytosanitary issues of the region. This session will build on the successful SAA Workshop on Re-Export, held in Brazil September 2008. There will also be a report on the Brazil-U.S. Workshop on Plant Risk Assessments held in July 2009. Representatives from the North American Plant Protection Organization and COSAVE (NAPPO's counterpart in South America) will discuss their efforts on re-export as well as efforts at the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). To view more information on the SAA Congress and to register, please click here. Don't Miss the Upcoming Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Educational Unit at The Scotts Company
FuSE Educational Units provide one-day educational and networking opportunities hosted by ASTA member companies. Each Educational Unit features a company overview, sessions on various seed industry topics and a facility tour. The next unit will be held at The Scotts Company in Gervais, Ore., on Aug. 27. Highlights of the agenda include: a tour of the Scotts research operations at the field station, an overview of the Scotts Company, grass seed breeding and production, discussions on seed testing, regulatory and government affairs, grass seed marketing and an update on professional association activities by Risa DeMasi, ASTA northwest regional vice president. There will also be an optional social networking event on the evening of Aug. 26 in Salem, Ore. A corporate rate is available at the Phoenix Grand Hotel in Salem, Ore. Participants can call the hotel directly at 503-540-7800, identify themselves as a visitor of The Scotts Company and request the corporate rate of $129. You do not want to miss this exciting educational and networking opportunity. Please forward this information to the young professionals in your company. Should you have any questions about the upcoming Educational Unit, please contact Jason Laney. Click here to register for this unit.
Missed the 126th Annual Convention? ASTA's 126th Annual Convention, held this past June in Scottsdale, Ariz., comprised some of the most substantial programming ever offered at the event. An expanded educational program featured five timely and important general sessions discussing economic and political trends affecting our industry, intellectual property rights, agricultural credit markets, the state of agribusiness as it affects other partner industries, sustainability and more. Due to current economic barriers to business travel for so many of our members, ASTA is making video, slides and other convention materials available for those who would like to access this extremely pertinent and timely information, as well as access to attendee rosters, exhibitor and sponsor information and photos from the event. The material is complimentary to those who attended the convention (upon request), or available for registration by those who could not attend. Contact Jennifer Lord to be connected to this information. ASTA Participates in American Phytopathological Society (APS) Annual Meeting ASTA Senior Director for Seed Health and Trade Ric Dunkle participated in a symposium entitled "APS-ISF Collaboration to Implement a System to Standardize Naming Plant Pathogen Races and Strains." The symposium, held as part of the annual meeting in Portland, Ore., from Aug. 1-5, provided a platform for ASTA, member companies and others to provide information on this technical issue in relation to trade. Dunkle presented on regulatory permitting issues associated with the need to maintain the pathogens in approved laboratories, to move them interstate and conduct the testing. Phyllis Himmel from Monsanto Vegetable Seeds gave an overview of the system being developed to maintain host differential sets and reference pathogen strains and races needed to test commercial varieties to support claims of resistance. Cees Van Ettekoven from Naktiunbouw in the Netherlands provided information on systems and approaches being used in Europe, and Jim Correll, University of Arkansas, provided a case study using the naming of spinach downy mildew races. Dunkle also organized a meeting with officials from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the California Department of Food and Agriculture to further discuss the permitting and other regulatory issues that will need to be considered. In addition, he participated in the meeting of the APS Public Policy Committee where the development of a national culture collection system was discussed. Many other presentations of concern to the seed industry were made throughout the meetings. "The APS meetings bring together scientists and technical experts from all sectors including private, public, research and regulatory," noted Ric Dunkle. "It provides an excellent opportunity for networking and learning more about emerging issues that could impact the seed industry." Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities Available for the First Time at Farm and Lawn Seed Conference A new menu of sponsorship and exhibit opportunities has just been added for ASTA's Farm and Lawn Seed Conference, held in conjunction with the Western Seed Association's Annual Convention each November in Kansas City. The addition of sponsorship and exhibits is a joint effort by both ASTA and the Western Seed Association to respond to several requests from companies to have the opportunity to market their company or product to this target audience, consisting largely of those in the lawn and turf seed industry. The meeting consists typically of close to 600 seed industry professionals and features four days of heavy networking and trading opportunities. For more information on the opportunities available, visit the conference's Web site or contact Jennifer Lord. Food Safety Enhancement Act Passes House On July 30, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the Food Safety Enhancement Act by a vote of 283-142. The measure is in response to recent outbreaks of salmonella, E. coli and melamine in peanuts, spinach and milk products. Those products are monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Before becoming law, the Senate must also act on the legislation. Highlights of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 include: the creation of an updated registry of food facilities; a required annual registration fee of $500 per food facility; required safety plans for food facilities; increased inspections for highest-risk facilities to once every six to 12 months; a directive for FDA to issue regulations for fruit and vegetable production and harvesting; and new FDA authority to subpoena records related to possible violations. Mexican Cross Border Trucking Issue Receives Attention A bipartisan group of former U.S. cabinet members and U.S. ambassadors to Mexico have written to President Obama urging an end to the 14 year cross-border trucking dispute between the U.S. and Mexico. ASTA has been following the issue with interest as farmers and agriculture related industries, including the seed industry, continue to be affected by retaliatory tariffs on manufactured and agricultural goods totaling by some estimates to exceed $2.4 billion. ASTA has joined over 150 U.S. companies and associations to urge the Administration to find a solution to this longstanding trucking dispute. U.S. food and agriculture are particularly vulnerable to retaliation given the growth of U.S. farm exports to Mexico and repeated calls from Mexico's agriculture sector for restrictions on U.S. food products. Under the North American Feed Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, U.S. food and agriculture exports have more than tripled, climbing from $3.6 billion in 1993 to over $12 billion in 2007. Mexico is the top export destination for beef, dairy, poultry, rice, soybean meal and oil, corn sweeteners, apples and dry edible bean exports. It is also a major market for pork, corn, soybeans, eggs, vegetable oils, cotton, fresh U.S. potatoes, snack foods and other consumer-oriented agricultural goods. Announcing Advocacy Matters Phase II - the First Seed Industry "No-Fly Fly-In." The seed industry made quite an impact from their efforts at the Seed Industry Washington D.C. Fly-in held April 28-29, 2009. ASTA members now have an opportunity to assist in that effort with a personal in-district visit. Elected officials want to hear from their constituents and will welcome the prospect of learning more about the importance of the seed industry to their district. Congress is in recess until Sept. 8. This Summer District Work Period presents an opportunity to visit Congressional Representatives and Senators in a more relaxed atmosphere while they are in their home districts during this break. Contact information for your Congressional elected officials is available by clicking here. It is best to request an appointment in their office or extend an invitation for them to tour a specific facility. ASTA has a set of resource documents to help maximize the efficiency of the time spent with your Representatives and Senators, including "The Basics of a Successful Meeting with Your Elected Official," an "ASTA Profile," and an "Issues Guidance Document." To assist in conveying the importance of agriculture in a specific district, government census statistics may be found by clicking here. After each visit, participants are requested to fax a report form to the ASTA offices so that progress can be tracked and follow-ups be addressed as necessary. This form, along with the other resources, can be found in "What's New" of the Member's Only section of ASTA' Web site. Please contact the ASTA office if you need your login and password (click here to send an email). An integral part of this initiative is the partnership between the state, regional and national levels. That is a critical component to get the issues heard by the individuals making the daily decisions that could affect seed industry business. Elected officials need to know that they have a resource in the seed industry in their home districts as pertinent issues arise in Washington, D.C. Please take the time to ASTA to Host Government Delegations from China and India in the U.S. ASTA, in partnership with U.S. Patent and Trade Office and the USDA Plant Variety Protection Office, have developed a short course on intellectual property rights that two separate government delegations from India and China will participate in during the end of August and beginning of September. The delegation from India, whose representatives are from the Ministry of Agriculture, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, will participate in the course from Aug. 31- Sept. 2. Prior to the workshop, the delegation will be visiting various ASTA member companies to see Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) testing and plant variety protection trials first hand Aug. 24-28. The delegation from China includes a USDA Cochran Team from the Ministry of Agriculture and officials from the Jilin Provincial Agriculture Commission. This delegation will participate in the short course in Alexandria, Va., from Aug. 26-28, and continue through the U.S. for ASTA member company visits Aug. 30- Sept. 3. For more information on this activity please contact Lisa Nichols.
ASTA Committees: Involvement = Greater Value BIOTECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Description: Current Activities: Next Scheduled Meeting: Key Contacts:
July 30 - Aug. 1. ASTA Chairman Jerry Monk and ASTA Director of State Affairs Pat Miller attended the Arkansas Seed Dealers Association Summer Convention in Branson, Mo. The program included crop updates and an overview of the USA Rice Federation activities. The family-oriented program featured a golf tournament and special programs for the spouses and children. William Johnson, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a DuPont business, moderated the program as president. Aug. 3. ASTA Vice President of Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky and Lisa Nichols, director of international programs, met with a USDA-sponsored seed industry delegation from Pakistan. The delegation was interested to learn about ASTA activities internationally and how ASTA advocates for the U.S. seed industry. The discussion also focused on intellectual property rights and its importance for innovation. Aug. 4. ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne and Leslie Cahill, vice president for government affairs, participated in CropLife America's (CLA) Commodity Coffee. The event brought together scores of agricultural stakeholders to discuss topics of the day. Issues covered included: ongoing developments in the National Cotton Council v. EPA, a case involving the Clean Water Act and permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System; the General Accountability Office's study regarding the Clean Water Trust Fund and the recent announcement by Wal-Mart on its sustainability program with its vendors. CLA also shared results from its recent Endangered Species Mapping project. The group meets regularly to discuss and strategize on issues affecting agriculture, trade, the environment and Congressional activities. Aug. 4. ASTA's China Working Group met via conference call to discuss ASTA's recent trip to Beijing and Changchun, China, as well as the impending Chinese delegation's visit to the U.S. Aug. 24-Sept. 4, 2009.
Support the Gary D. Arthur Adult Blood and Marrow Transplantation Unit at the University of Iowa (UI) Gary Arthur had a long and distinguished career in the seed industry and was an active leader in ASTA. A fundraising effort and unit are being undertaken in Gary's name within the UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, where Gary fought his battle with cancer. Gary Arthur was known for his enthusiasm and love of the seed industry, as well as his leadership in the industry at the state, national and international levels. His professional career started in 1974 with F. S. Services as a corn breeder. While the majority of his career was with Holden's Foundation Seeds, Gary continued his involvement with the company after it was purchased by Monsanto Company. Following his tenure as president of Holden's, Gary consulted with Beck's Superior Hybrids. His contributions to the seed industry were many and included ASTA, Indiana Seed Trade Association and Indiana Crop Improvement Association. He held a number of leadership positions and worked on various committees and divisions within each association. At ASTA, he was elected as regional vice president and second and first vice chairman. Internationally, Gary also served within the International Seed Federation on its board and sections. Due to his illness, however, Gary was unable to assume his duties as incoming chairman. In 2003, Gary was named ASTA's Honorary Member by past ASTA Chairman Sonny Beck, the highest award given to seedsmen. To read more on the UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center's Adult Blood and Marrow Transplant Program and to make donations to the foundation, please visit the Web site. University of California (UC)-Davis Partners in European Plant Breeding Academy UC Davis is partnering with European institutions and associations to offer the European Plant Breeding Academy. The academy addresses the current problem of the reduced number of plant breeders being trained in academic programs around the world. This training program will target working professionals who desire to become independent plant breeders. Over two years, participants will meet for six sessions, each six days long. To view the schedule and for more information, click here. Oregon State University (OSU) Seed Laboratory Receives International Accreditation The OSU Seed Laboratory has become the first official state seed laboratory in the nation to receive accreditation by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). ISTA is an association of 182 members that develops and publishes standard seed-testing procedures and is an international accreditor of official and non-official laboratories. The OSU Seed Laboratory is the fifth accredited lab in the U.S. and one of 106 in the world that are ISTA approved. OSU has been a member of the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) for more than 80 years and continue to provide testing services based on AOSA Testing Rules. For additional information, visit the Web site (seedlab.oscs.orst.edu) or e-mail seedlab@oscs.orst.edu. Upcoming International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) 'Breeding Diversity' Conference Set for August Seeds of Change will host the IFOAM 'Breeding Diversity' Conference in Santa Fe, N.M., from Aug. 25-28, 2009. Participants will include farming, breeding and regulatory professionals from around the world. Seeds of Change has already received more than 100 scientific papers on organic plant and animal breeding methods and objectives. This conference will bring together stakeholders in the organic business to discuss and apply strategies aimed at increasing the value in the organic food chain, by focusing on breeding and production systems. IFOAM is the worldwide parent organization for the organic movement, bringing together more than 750 member organizations in 108 countries. Please see the Seeds of Change Web site for more information on the IFOAM Conference.
Government Reports 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.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
2nd Seed Congress of the Americas • 127th Annual Convention |