Seed E-News

November 11, 2005

White House Nomination for ASTA Chief Executive Officer
Washington DC, November 17 — President George W. Bush has today nominated Dick Crowder, ASTA President and Chief Executive Officer to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, with the Rank of Ambassador. A committee, appointed by Jim Tobin, ASTA Chairman, to find a replacement for Dick has already begun its search.

Vegetable & Flower Conference — Registration Open
On-line egistration has opened for the Vegetable & Flower Conference in Amelia Island, FL, January 28-31, 2005. After January 12, no registrations will be accepted in the ASTA office. You must register on-site.

USDA Awards More than $4.5 Million for Integrated Organic Research
Bozeman, MT, November 4, 2005 — Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner announced the award of more than $4.5 million in research grants to address organic agricultural issues and priorities, while increasing organic agriculture's global competitiveness. Full Story. Full descriptions of each project are available Here.

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 on Tuesday, December 6 from 8:00 AM to 12:00. 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.

Seed Association of the Americas (SAA) Meeting
The Seed Association of the Americas (SAA) will be holding its first public meeting at the conclusion of the Corn & Sorghum and Soybean Conferences in Chicago on Friday, December 9 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

The purpose of the SAA is to promote the interests of the seed industry in the Americas. The organizing members of SAA are the national seed associations in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay and the United States. There are three classes of membership – Ordinary (national seed associations), Associate (seed companies) and Affiliate (other seed related organizations). The agenda for the public meeting will review the formation and purpose of SAA, dues structure, membership types, a discussion of priority issues – intellectual property, technology, harmonization of rules and procedures and education and training, and establishing committees and the structure to handle the issues. The meeting will be open to all who are interested.

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

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 November 10, 2005.

Industry and People

Sam Datteri Joins Producer's Choice
Sam Datteri has been appointed to the position of Regional Sales Manager with Producer’s Choice. Sam will lead the development and expansion of the company's alfalfa brands in the Great Plains, Intermountain West and Pacific Northwest. Sam who was ASTA Farm Seed Division Chairman in 2004-2005 will continue to be active in the forage and national seed trade associations. Full Story.

Industry Giants plant Seeds of Growth with Biotechnology
The 75-foot high conditioning tower and the robotic arm neatly stacking sacks on a wooden pallet certainly say something about the sizable investment Syngenta and other giants of the seed industry have been making lately. But it’s the biotechnology breakthroughs inside this growing pile of seed sacks west of Aurora that are more responsible for consolidation in the industry. Full Story.

DuPont to Cut Back on Research Plans but Invests in GM Seed
DuPont Co. reported on November 7 that it will cut back on certain research plans and leave some jobs unfilled in order to cut nearly $1 billion in costs over the next three years. A “structural shift in the global industrial economy” is forcing the measures, the Wilmington-based company announced at a meeting of analysts and investors in New York. However, to further accelerate sales growth, DuPont also is investing in projects in its genetically modified seed division. 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
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.

“Keeping the Pace” is the overall theme of this two-day conference featuring general sessions, focused workshops, commercial exhibits and time for socializing. A line up of 23 speakers will bring the latest information about key issues to the Indiana Crop Improvement Association’s Annual Conference. Attendees can sign up for one or both days.

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.