|
|
Seed E-News
September 10, 2004
Europe Approves GM Seed
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reports that the European
Union has approved a genetically modified seed for planting. The
European Commission, which made the decision, says the variety of
maize developed by Monsanto can now be grown in any EU nation. The
maize, known as MON810, is modified to be resistant to the European
corn borer, a damaging insect pest. For more, follow this link BBC.
ISTA Workshop on Statistical Aspects of GMO Detection
The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) is organizing
a workshop with the aim of helping laboratories address the test
planning, and the use of results, on GM detection in seeds. The
objective of the workshop is to give and exchange information on
matters that have been mentioned by laboratories which already participated
to the ISTA proficiency tests, or intend to join. The workshop will
run from 8.00am, November 17th to 5.00pm, November 19th at Monsanto,
St Louis, MO. The number of participants is limited to a maximum
of 20 so register early. For more information and to register, follow
this link ISTA.
National Invasive Species Council
The National Invasive Species Council (NISC) periodically provides
information about new developments. Please follow this link for
their September 2, 2004 bulletin NISC.
OECD Seed Schemes
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS) will assume the daily administration of the U. S. Program
for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Seed Schemes on October 1, 2004. For the past 6 years, the day-to-day
operations of the program have been performed by the Association
of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA). Recently, AOSCA requested
that AMS assume these responsibilities. For more information, follow
this link AMS
Notice to the Trade.
GM Crop Fact Sheet
Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology has produced an updated
fact sheet with 2004 data on the acres of GM crops planted in the
U.S. To access follow this link, Fact
Sheet.
New Web Site Provides Information on Availability of Organic
Seeds within UK
Organic farmers now have access to a web site which provides them
with information on the availability of organic seeds within the
UK. The website is called OrganicXseeds and can be found at www.organicXseeds.co.uk.
More information on the background to the web site can be found
at SeedQuest here.
Public Seed Initiative Workshops
A series of workshops aimed at small-scale growers in the northeastern
United States are being run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) over the next three months.
The first workshop was held on August 14 but others are planned
for September, October and November:
- Sept. 8 at the Green Thumb in Water Mill, N.Y.;
- Sept. 14 at PGRU in Geneva;
- Sept. 24 and 25 at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity,
Maine;
- Oct. 7 at Lockwood Farm in Hamden, Conn.;
- Oct. 22 at Peacework Organic Farm in Newark, N.Y.; and
- Nov. 8 at Gorzynski's Ornery Farm in Cochecton Center, N.Y.
The Public Seed Initiative is an on-farm breeding and seed-production
project involving the ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) in
Geneva, N.Y.; Cornell University's departments of plant breeding
and horticulture; the Cooperative Genome Project of the nonprofit
organization Oregon Tilth; and the Northeast Organic Farming Association
(NOFA) of New York. For more information and to register on-line,
check out http://www.plbr.cornell.edu/psi/calendar.html.
Indiana Seed Trade Association 2004 Corn Belt Seed Conference
Indiana Seed Trade Association will be holding its 2004 Corn Belt
Seed Conference on November 11-12, 2004 at the Marriott East. Indianapolis.
For more information, check out the ISTA web site at www.indianaseed.com.
Industry and People
The Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) is
seeking a Chief Executive Officer to assume responsibility for the
day-to-day management and ongoing business of the association, including
member and industry outreach, finances and administration, program
management and business development and fund-raising. AOSCA is a
non-profit corporation whose members are 44 official seed certifying
agencies in the U.S., with additional members in Canada, South America,
Australia and New Zealand. AOSCA’s stated mission is to assist its
members in providing certification, quality assurance, identity
preservation and other services, thus enabling it to function as
a world leader in facilitating the movement of seed, grain, plant
and other agricultural products. AOSCA’s members have determined
that the organization needs a dedicated professional staff to assist
in fulfilling the mission statement, to build member and client
relationships and to capitalize on new business opportunities that
fit the members’ various resources. Individuals interested in this
opportunity should submit a letter of application and résumé to:
Allan B. Simons, AOSCA President, 2120 E. Allen Road, Tucson, AZ
85719. E-mail: absimons@ag.arizona.edu.
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.
Upcoming Events
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
January 22-25, 2005
ASTA 44th Vegetable & Flower
Conference
Grand
Hyatt San Francisco
San Francisco, CA.
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
|
|
