Seed E-News

November 4, 2005

Register On-Line for ASTA Conferences
Delegates can still register on-line for the Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Conferences in Chicago December 7-9, 2005. Pre-registration ends on November 15, 2005. Registration forms must be received by ASTA on or before then, after which date you may only register on-site.

On-line registration has opened for the Vegetable & Flower Conference in Amelia Island, FL, January 28-31, 2005.

Syngenta Seeds, Inc. to hold Symposium in Chicago
Syngenta Seeds, Inc. will be holding a symposium on "Best Practices for Quality Seed Breeding and Production" at the Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Conferences Tuesday, December 6. Tentative titles and speakers are:

• Topic #1: "Quality Systems in Breeding and Seed Production Operations" by Joseph Panetta, President and CEO of BIOCOM; former Head of Biotech Regulatory & Government Affairs at Mycogen Seeds & Dow Agroscience
• Topic #2: "Testing Modalities for Verification of Seed Quality"by Michael Thompson, Manager of DNA Technologies at BioDiagnostics, and Ron Jenkins, USDA, GIPSA
• Topic #3: "Operational Measures to Address Unintended Biotech Releases" by Ron Ferriss, Director, Maize Genetic Development, Syngenta Seeds, Inc.

USDA grants Protection to Twenty-One New Plant Varieties
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2005 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued certificates of protection to developers of 21 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include cotton, lettuce, pea, peanut, safflower, soybean, and vinca. The certificates are being issued under the Plant Variety Protection Act and 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 certificates are:

• the DP 6207 Acala variety of cotton, developed by O & A Enterprises, Inc., Maricopa, AZ;
• the DP 393 variety of cotton, developed by D&PL Technology Holding Corporation, Scott, MS;
• the HQ110CT variety of cotton, developed by Seed Source, Inc., Stoneville, MS;
• the Acala BXN Nova* variety of cotton developed by California Planting Cotton Seed Distributors, Bakersfield, CA;
• the Anthem variety of lettuce, developed by Shamrock Seed Company, Inc., Salinas, CA;
• the Laguna Fresca variety of lettuce, developed by Central Valley Seeds, Inc., Salinas, CA;
• the Dallas variety of lettuce, developed by America Takii, Inc., Salinas, CA;
• the Ventana and North Star varieties of lettuce, developed by Paragon Seed, Inc., Salinas, CA;
• the Silverado variety of lettuce, developed by Enza Zaden Beheer B.V., Salinas, CA;
• the Stirling variety of field pea, developed by U.S. Government, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Pullmans, WA;
• the Andru II*, Carver*, ANorden*, DP-1*, Hull*, AP-3*, and GP-1* varieties of peanut, developed by Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Gainesville, FL;
• the S-333* variety of safflower, developed by California Oils Corporation, Woodland, CA;
• the 93M01 variety of soybean, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Johnston, IA;
• the Victory Pure White variety 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 through their website.

ASTA Officer Nominations
Sections 4 (Nominations) and Section 5 (Nominating Committee) of Article IX of the ASTA Bylaws define the nomination process and the composition of the nominating committee for ASTA officers.

ASTA Board policy requires that potential names for each office for which there is an opening to be filled at the next annual meeting be solicited from ASTA Active members through an announcement in the November newsletter. The policy requires that the announcement include the names and contact information for each member of the Nominating Committee, the positions open including the qualifications required and a request that any Active member may contact a member of the Nominating Committee if they have a qualified member to consider for any of the positions to be filled. This year the announcement is also being made in the October newsletter and in ASTA E-News.

In June 2006, the following officer positions will be filled:

• Chairman
• First Vice Chairman
• Second Vice Chairman
• Vice President of the Western Region
• ASTA Representative to Canada
• ASTA Representative to Mexico

Active members are invited to submit the names of qualified candidates to the Nominating Committee by December 15, 2005. The selected candidate must have demonstrated a commitment to ASTA and/or regional and state associations through previous appropriate leadership responsibilities. For example, the candidate of choice for Second Vice Chairman could have served as a regional vice president or the chair of a Division, the chair of one or more ASTA standing committees, or have comparable experience. A regional vice president candidate may have been actively involved in one or more ASTA committees or divisions and/or a past officer of a regional or state association.

Members of the Nominating Committee and their contact information are:

Sonny Beck
Beck's Superior Hybrids
6767 East 276th Street
Atlanta, IN 46031
Tel: (317) 984-3508
Email: sonny@beckshybrids.com

Don Wertman
Seedway
P.O. Box 250
Hall, NY 14463
Tel: (585) 526-6391
Email: dwertman@seedway.com

Paul Bennett
Sakata Seed America, Inc.
P.O. Box 880
Morgan Hill, CA 95038-0880
Tel: (408) 778-7758
Email: pbennett@sakata.com

ASTA Announces Third Workshop with APHIS
During the 2004 ASTA Annual Convention, it was agreed that efforts would be made to hold two APHIS-ASTA workshops each year. The third workshop in this series is now scheduled for November 15, 2005 at USDA in Washington, DC. This workshop will serve as an opportunity for ASTA members to interface with APHIS officials and decision makers on phytosanitary issues. Past workshops included issues such as: APHIS Permitting Process; seed, pests and pathogens; soybean rust, pest risk analyses (PRAs) for Brazil & China; issues on the movement of seed in Mexico, Korea and Argentina; ASTA - APHIS communications; National Seed Health System and the National Plant Diagnostic Network/Homeland Security. If you are interested in attending this meeting with representatives from APHIS, please contact Barb Surian at (703) 837-8140 or by email at bsurian@amseed.org. Information on hotels and logistics will be announced.

Consumers Benefit from Strong, Enforceable IP Protection According to Iowa State Study
Effective intellectual property protection is needed to encourage private agricultural seed companies to invest in research and development that will bring new technologies to farmers around the world. Yet protection standards that are too high would restrict benefits to society. Those are two conclusions of a comprehensive economic study conducted by Iowa State University researchers of the effect of intellectual property protection on agricultural seed companies, producers and consumers. Full Story.

EU Ministers Fail to Clear GM Food Ingredient
European Union farm ministers clash yet again on the contentious issue of GM food ingredients, failing to clear a new GMO corn from US biotech firm for import into the EU bloc. Meeting in Luxembourg on October 24, the ministers failed to vote through imports of MON 863 – a transgenic corn used for food engineered by Monsanto to resist the corn rootworm insect. Full Story.

European Commission Authorizes Import of 1507 Maize for Use in Animal Feed
The European Commission has authorized the placing on the market of the genetically modified maize 1507. The authorization covers the import and processing of this GMO, including its use in animal feed. The maize has been modified to make it resistant to certain pests and for tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium. This decision is valid for 10 years and results from an application submitted by the company Pioneer/Mycogen Seeds. An authorization for use as food is still under examination. Full Story. However, an article in www.foodproductiondaily.com argues that the approval is unlikely to bridge immense differences of opinion that exist within the political and economic bloc. Full Story.

Nominations for Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture
The Agricultural Research Service is requesting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). The charge for the AC21 is two-fold: to examine the long-term impacts of biotechnology on the U.S. food and agriculture system and USDA; and to provide guidance to USDA on pressing individual issues, identified by the Office of the Secretary, related to the application of biotechnology in agriculture.

Written nominations must be received by fax or postmarked on or before November 14, 2005. All nomination materials should be sent to:

Michael Schechtman
Designated Federal Official
Office of the Deputy Secretary, USDA
202B Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building
14th and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250

Forms may also be submitted by fax to (202) 690-4265. More Information.

Seed Biotechnology Center, UC Davis – Plant Breeding Academy
The Seed Biotechnology Center would like to inform you of an exciting new program that it is offering to enhance the knowledge of seed industry personnel about the principles of plant breeding. This two-year course addresses the reduced numbers of plant breeders being trained in academic programs in field and horticultural crops. It is an opportunity for companies to invest in dedicated personnel who are currently involved in their own breeding programs, but lack the genetics and plant breeding background to direct a breeding program. Twenty five attendees will meet at UC Davis for one week per quarter over two years (eight sessions) to allow participants to maintain their current positions while being involved in the course. Registration will begin soon, with the course commencing in Fall 2006. Space will be limited, so watch for unfolding information at: Plant Breeding Academy.

US Grains Council Global Update
The weekly global update is provided at the request of the Corn & Sorghum Division. Follow the link for the update for week ending October 28, 2005 and November 4, 2005.

Industry and People

Arcadia Biosciences Receives NIH Grant to Develop Soybean Isoflavone Traits
ASTA member Arcadia Biosciences, an agricultural biotechnology company focused on developing products that benefit the environment and human health, has announced that it has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop soybeans with desired levels of soy isoflavones. Full Story.

If your company or organization has any personnel changes or other developments that you would like to see included in the ASTA E-News, please send details to ppatterson@amseed.org.

ASTA Conferences and Activities

December 7-9, 2005
60th Corn & Sorghum and
35th Soybean Research Conferences
Seed Expo (Dec. 7-8, 2005)
Hyatt Regency
Chicago, IL
Online Registration

January 28-31, 2006
45th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference
Amelia Island Plantation
Amelia Island, FL
Online Registration

July 8-12, 2006
Joint ASTA/CSTA Annual Convention
Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL

Other Upcoming Events

November 2005
National Soybean Rust Workshop
The American Phyto-Pathological Society has scheduled a workshop in conjunction with USDA and the American Soybean Board for November 15-16, 2005 to discuss soybean rust. The symposium will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, TN. Check out the APS web site http://www.apsnet.org/online/sbr/ for more information about the symposium and to subscribe to the mailing list for periodic updates.

Seed Sampling Training
Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. of Brookings, SD will be holding a Seed Sampling Workshop in Boise, ID, on November 29-30, 2005 just prior to the IEOSA meeting at the Doubletree Riverside. Participants who successfully complete the workshop are eligible to become an "authorized sampler" for ISTA Orange Certificates and would be recognized by Canada for sampling pedigreed seed. Some of the topics taught at these sessions include:

• AOSA, CFIA and ISTA Sampling Rules
• Proper Sampling Techniques and Methods
• Sample Intensities
• Sealing Seed Lots
• Subdividing Samples
• ISTA Certificates
• Appropriate Sampling Equipment
• Canadian Grading System

Registration fees are $250 per person. Early registration discounts are available. Further workshops are planned for 2006. See below for details. If you are interested in learning more about the workshops, contact Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. on (877) 692-7611 or visit www.mwseed.com and click on Workshops/Training.

December 2005
A scientific meeting on "Crop Gene Flow and The Occurrence and Consequence of Gene Introgression between Crops and Their Sexually Compatible Relatives" will be held on December 13-14, 2005 in Kansas City, Missouri. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together academic, industry, government and other interested scientists for comprehensive discussions on: 1) pollen mediated gene flow in crops; and 2) the occurrence and consequences of hybridization and gene introgression between crops and their sexually compatible relatives. The program will consist of invited keynote addresses (1/2 day), and one day of volunteer paper and posters, facilitated discussions, and free time. More information can be found at the meeting web page at http://www.ncwss.org/meeting/2005/GeneFlow05.htm.

Title submission instructions (September 26 deadline) for volunteer posters and papers, as well as instructions to receive updates on the meeting are available at the web site listed above. The gene flow meeting will be held in conjunction with the North Central Weed Science Society Meeting and participants are free to participate in both meetings).

January 2006
Fourth Biennial Organic Seed Growers Conference
The Organic Seed Alliance will be holding the Fourth Biennial Organic Seed Growers Conference on January 11 & 12, 2006 at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, OR. On January 10, 2006, they will be holding a one day Seed Biology Short Course. You can register for the conference and the course Here. Contact Organic Seed Alliance info@seedalliance.org or (360) 385-7192 for additional information.

Seed Sampling Training
Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. of Brookings, SD will be holding a Seed Sampling Workshop in Lubbock, TX. Dates have yet to be set. If you are interested in learning more about the workshops, contact Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. on (877) 692-7611 or visit www.mwseed.com and click on Workshops/Training.

February 2006
Breeding with Molecular Markers Course: February 8-9, 2006
Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California, Davis is now accepting enrollment for the upcoming course which focuses on strategies for using molecular tools in different breeding schemes and 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. It is aimed at professionals who are directly or indirectly involved in plant breeding and germplasm improvement. The course will be held in Davis, California. For more information or to enroll, go to Breeding with Molecular Markers.

The Indiana Crop Improvement Association Annual Conference will be held February 9-10, 2006 at the Sheraton North Hotel at Keystone at the Crossing, Indianapolis, IN.

Seed Sampling Training
Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. of Brookings, SD will be holding a Seed Sampling Workshop in Amarillo, TX, on February 1-2, 2006. Participants who successfully complete the workshop are eligible to become an ‘authorized sampler’ for ISTA Orange Certificates and would be recognized by Canada for sampling pedigreed seed. Some of the topics taught at these sessions include:

• AOSA, CFIA and ISTA Sampling Rules
• Proper Sampling Techniques and Methods
• Sample Intensities
• Sealing Seed Lots
• Subdividing Samples
• ISTA Certificates
• Appropriate Sampling Equipment

Early registration discounts are available. If you are interested in learning more about the workshops, contact Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. on (877) 692-7611 or visit www.mwseed.com and click on Workshops/Training.

March 2006
AOSCA Mid-Winter Meeting
The 2006 Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) Mid-Winter meeting will be held March 1-3, 2006 at the Embassy Suites Hotel, Orlando. The AOSCA Board of Directors meeting will be held March 1-2. The AOSCA Advisory Committee and the Service Development Marketing Committee (SDMC) will meet March 3. Meeting details are being finalized and will be posted on the AOSCA web site as they are completed. Clicking on this link Embassy Suites Hotel Orlando-Airport will allow you to view hotel details and amenities. Reservation information will be provided in the coming weeks on the AOSCA web site.

June 2006
Seed Sampling Training
Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. of Brookings, SD will be holding a Seed Sampling Workshop at their facility in Brookings, SD. Dates have yet to be set. If you are interested in learning more about the workshops, contact Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. on (877) 692-7611 or visit www.mwseed.com and click on Workshops/Training.