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February 7 , 2008
ASTA's 47th Annual Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference
Seed industry professionals gathered for four days of networking and valuable conference sessions at the 47th Annual Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference. The conference broke every record, including an attendance of 582, exhibitor participation and sponsorship. The largest-ever Trading Room, overlooking New Orleans' famous Canal Street, bustled with activity, leading the majority of convention attendees to indicate that their attendance "more than paid for itself" by bringing together so many of their business colleagues in one central location. Located just a few blocks from Bourbon Street, the conference offered ASTA attendees a valuable and fun-filled week, featuring a Mardi Gras-themed reception, a volunteer planting project at the New Orleans Botanical Gardens, a golf tournament at the PGA Tour's TPC Louisiana Golf Course, a spouses' outing to the Houmas House plantation, and most importantly, hard-hitting breakout sessions on biotechnology, stewardship, intellectual property rights, organic seed production and much more. For the first time, the conference was held during the work week (Tuesday - Friday), versus the previous convention pattern of Saturday through Tuesday, a move that most attendees raved about. ASTA is looking forward to the 48th Annual Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Resort and Marina in Tampa, Fla., to be held Feb. 7 - 10, 2009. The 2009 conference will revert back to the traditional pattern of a Saturday kickoff due to schedule conflicts with the SuperBowl being held in Tampa the week before. Future Vegetable & Flower Seed Conferences are expected to then convert to the new Tuesday through Friday pattern. Attendees are asked to please take a moment to share your thoughts by completing the evaluation found on the ASTA Web site's "Meetings and Opportunities" page, in the 47th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference section. Click here for a direct link to the survey.
Industry Insiders Provide Attendees with Perspective on Future Market Trends The conference's general session on Jan. 30 featured keynote presentations by Randal Hauptman of Fresh Express/Varro, Inc. and Bruce Axtman, president and CEO of The Perishables Group, Inc., a consulting firm, who each addressed the topic of breeding needs for products in a rapidly changing marketplace. The session addressed the importance of the links in a marketing chain that continues to consolidate and the difficulties these market changes pose for companies whose research can take years to "bare fruit." The speakers also provided insight into the market trends among consumers in regards to fresh produce and prepared food technologies. The panel provided an opportunity for conference attendees to understand how the seed industry can better respond and prepare for the trends in the marketplace that growers, wholesale marketers and retail distributors are trying to meet. John Schoenecker, chairman of the Vegetable and Flower Division observed, "This year's speakers really got our breeder/producers thinking. The speakers not only presented a great analysis of the produce consumer and retailer and how their needs are evolving, but we were also presented with a real world look into the successful development of a new fresh product based on unique varietal qualities. This session provided excellent insight into breeding new products for a changing marketplace."
"ASTA Gives Back" by Lending a Green Thumb to New Orleans.
Members of ASTA lent a helping hand to the New Orleans community which continues to work so hard to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The volunteer project, entitled "ASTA Gives Back," brought together a team of ASTA members to the New Orleans Botanical Gardens, within the New Orleans City Park, for an afternoon of replanting a severely damaged section of this once pristine area. The project, sponsored by W. Atlee Burpee & Co., with additional donations provided by American Takii, Inc., Ball Horticultural Company, Gardener's Supply/Dutch Gardens, Goldsmith Seeds, Inc., Johnny's Selected Seeds, Kieft Seed Co., Renee's Garden Seed, Seeds by Design and Seeds of Change, was held in conjunction with ASTA's 47th Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference.The contributions of time, planting materials and equipment, and funds were directed to the reconstruction of the Ornamental Woody Garden within the New Orleans Botanical Gardens. Unique to this project was the direct donation of seed to the recovery effort, including poppies and larkspur from Seeds of Change, which will provide yearly beauty to the garden for the citizens of New Orleans to enjoy. "Our responsibility in helping to rebuild the New Orleans communities that fell victim to Hurricane Katrina extends well beyond the physical construction of new homes, schools and community centers," says Tracy Lee, W. Atlee Burpee & Co. horticulturalist. "It is also our duty to restore the city's heart and soul by reestablishing historic grounds such as the much-loved New Orleans Botanical Gardens." The New Orleans City Park, the largest urban park in the country, not only received $43 million dollars in damage by Hurricane Katrina, it also suffered tremendous losses in its work force as well. After the hurricane, the park's staff of 260 was drastically reduced, which today totals only 47 employees, leaving the park in desperate need of volunteer help. ASTA extends our warmest thanks to those volunteers who gave their time and effort for the "ASTA Gives Back" project: Lynette Amarel, Ron Amarel, Mike Capp, Marc Cool, Drew Effron, Rick Falconer, Greg Gabrels, Wayne Gale, Lynda Granger, Lindsay Hoffman, Manuel Jimenez, Julie Johns, Tom Johns, Josh Kirschenbaum, Nona Koivula, Katherine Ledgerwood, Tracy Lee, Stephanie Ludwig, Bonnie Marquardt, John Mizicko, Mike Peterson, John Schoenecker, Jim Shearl, Elaine Sinniger, Sandee Sinnott, Dale Smith, Lea Smith, Jose Solorzano, Darlene Sommers, Will Sommers, Andrew Spencer Tom Tolman, Stephanie Turner, John Wahlert, Tamara Wahlert and Grant Watson.
Congratulations to the Winners of the ASTA Golf Tournament at TPC Louisiana! Home of the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic this March, the TPC Louisiana Golf Course served as the scenic location for the ASTA Golf Tournament held in conjunction with the 47th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference just outside of New Orleans, La., on Jan. 22. Participants enjoyed beautiful weather and a fun day of golf! Winners in the tournament were as follows:
Last Chance to Register for the ASTA Management Academy Almost 50 seed industry professionals from 18 states-from Maine to California and many places in between-are registered for the ASTA Management Academy, to be held on the Purdue campus Feb. 25-29, 2008. Objectives of this program include: discussing the changing agribusiness environment and implications for seed marketing in the future; exploring fundamental marketing strategies, as well as methods of segmenting and targeting markets; examining the ways an organization makes decisions and takes action to ensure long-term success; evaluating strategies for creating and leveraging an organization's competitive advantages; identifying and applying financial management tools that help address day-to-day management problems; and understanding what makes employees perform well, while learning how to evaluate and manage employee performance. Registrations are still being accepted for the remaining 10 seats. If you or someone in your company has interest in the Academy, visit the program website to learn more or register online, or call Betty S. Jones-Bliss at (765) 494-4328.
First FuSE Round Table Discussion Group of 2008 to Focus on Succession Planning
As many baby boomers in the current workforce approach retirement age, it is essential that companies of all sizes have a strategic succession plan in place to deal with this impending transition. Recognizing this as a critical issue facing many companies in the seed industry, ASTA's Future Seed Executives (FuSE) will hold its first 2008 Round Table Discussion Group (RTDG) conference call on succession planning on Mar. 4 at 10 a.m. Central Time. The RTDG is part of a series of quarterly conference calls moderated by senior industry members and is aimed at educating future seed executives on events and topics in the seed industry. The call will be moderated by Larry Hollar, Chairman of Hollar Seeds, who has written several books and guides on business transition. Holding true to the roundtable format, new topics can be introduced for discussion by those on the call and interaction is highly encouraged. The cost to participate on the call is $10 per person ($15 for non-ASTA members). Upon registration, the call-in number and pass-code will be issued. Click here to download the registration form. Please contact Jason Laney for more information. To facilitate group interaction, the calls will be limited to 12 participants, so early registration is encouraged. For more information on FuSE, visit www.futureseedexecutives.com.
Senate Names Conferees for Farm Bill On Feb. 5, the Senate Agriculture Committee named their conferees for the farm bill in an attempt to merge the Senate and House versions of the bill. Senate Agriculture Committee Tom Harkin (D-IA) will chair the committee. "This group of Senators represents diversity in terms of geography, leadership posts and expertise. I know that we will work well together and meld together a farm bill that fits our country's needs," said Chairman Harkin in a press statement. Democratic Senators selected for the conference committee include: Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus (D-MT); Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Kent Conrad (D-ND); Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy (D-VT); Senate Agriculture Committee Member Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Senate Agriculture Committee Member Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). Republican Senators selected include: Ranking Member of the Senate Agricultural Committee Saxby Chambliss (R-GA); Former Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman, Richard Lugar (R-IN); Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Charles Grassley (R-IA); Ranking Member Senate Appropriations Committee, Thad Cochran (R-MS); and Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS). The House has not yet named its conferees. "ASTA and its members are very interested and affected by the farm bill because it is a massive piece of legislation that affects many aspects of the seed industry, ranging from organic agriculture, to energy, to production agriculture, trade and aid, research and conservation," remarked ASTA's Vice President for Government Affairs Leslie Cahill. "In particular, the association has worked with Congressional leaders to ensure that the new legislation will maintain provisions ensuring that hybrid corn seed producers are treated equitably."
President Releases FY2009 Agriculture Budget On Feb. 4, President Bush released details of the FY 2009 U.S. Department of Agriculture budget. Total expenditures are estimated at $95 billion, which is approximately the same as FY 2008. Roughly 76 percent of expenditures, or $72 billion in 2009, will be for mandatory programs that provide services required by law, which include many of the nutrition assistance, commodity, export promotion and conservation programs. The remaining budget represents discretionary funding, which for ASTA members, includes soil and water conservation technical assistance, management of National Forests and domestic marketing assistance. The budget also proposes funding for monitoring of pest and disease threats. The 2009 budget includes $4.6 billion to provide financial and technical assistance for 260 million acres in the Conservation Reserve program. Funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program will be increased to just over $1 billion. For the Wetlands Reserve Program, $181 million will be available. The Healthy Forest Initiative is continued, with funding available for landscape restoration activities. Research funding is pegged at $2.3 billion, with emphasis on competitive grants, bioenergy research which is geared toward improving the efficiency of converting cellulose to biofuels. To view a copy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed budget, visit www.usda.gov/budget.
Ed Schafer Sworn in as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Jan. 28, 2008 Secretary Schafer served a two-term governor of North Dakota from 1992 to 2000. While serving as governor, Schafer made diversifying and expanding North Dakota's economy, reducing the cost of government and advancing agriculture his top priorities in office. Schafer also served as chairman of both the western Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association. In 2000, he co-founded and co-chaired the Governors Biotechnology Partnership aimed at increasing public understanding and support for the benefits of agricultural biotechnology. Born and raised in Bismarck, N.D., Schafer graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and earned an MBA from the University of Denver in 1970.
ASTA's Environmental and Conservation Seed Committee to Hold Annual Workshop in March The committee will hold their annual workshop at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Mar. 12-13, 2008. The program will focus on energy and its impact on conservation programs as well as the latest information on the Farm Bill. Committee members will meet with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson on Mar. 12. The workshop is open to ASTA members. Please contact the ASTA office for additional information and program details.
The Federal Seed Act (FSA) requires interstate shippers to include their name and address on the seed label for seeds subject to the FSA. However, if the label contains the interstate shipper's code designation, the interstate shipper can put their customer's name and address on the label. Using the code permits the interstate shipper to label the seed with their customers name and address for resale, while still being identified as the interstate shipper as required by the FSA. The interstate shipper's code is issued by the Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch (SRTB) of AMS. Information on the process is available at www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/seed.htm, click on General Information and then on AMS Code Designations.
Southern Seed Association holds 89th Annual Convention The Southern Seed Association (SSA) had about 160 seed professionals from the southern states at their annual convention held in St. Petersburg, Fla., from Jan. 18-22. The convention offered an opportunity to discuss the issues of the day of particular interest to the region. An overview of ASTA activities were presented by Second Vice Chairman Jerry Monk and Director of State Affairs Pat Miller. Wendell Howard, of Richardson Seeds in Lubbock, Texas, was honored as SSA's Man of the Year for his longtime contributions to the industry. SSA officers for 2008 were named, including: Bud Hughes, Verdant Partners, LLC, as president, Tye Curits, Curits & Curtis, Inc. as first vice president, and Curt Johnson, Texas Oklahoma Production Co. as second vice president. ASTA Congratulates 2007 President Tony Harper, Athens Seed Co. for producing a convention successful on many accounts.
Last week KCIA and KSIA met in Manhattan, Kan. The day and a half program focused on maximizing yields and profits, as well as presentations of key industry issues such as breeder's reports, barley yellow dwarf and a study on certified versus saved seed. ASTA Director for State Affairs Pat Miller provided two sessions: a guide to optimizing relationships with government officials and an update of ASTA activities presented in conjunction with ASTA Regional Vice President Wayne Vasser. The new KCIA President for 2008 is Tim Oborny of Bison. Congrats to Daryl Strouts, executive director of KCIA/KSIA, for producing a very fine educational meeting for the members. The participation of ASTA in meetings such as this one in Kansas or the Southern Seed Association Annual Convention (see above) help to build a grassroots network for the seed industry in order to better address future issues as they arise.
India Proposes Changes in Import Requirements - Comments Due to ASTA by Feb. 22 India has issued a Sanitary Phytosanitary notification to the World Trade Organization regarding proposed changes in import requirements for 14 items, several of which are seeds for propagation. These items, currently prohibited, would be allowed entry under certain conditions. The primary species included in the notification that would directly impact the United States are Thymus vulgaris, okra, and Paspalum spp. However, some companies may have interest in the other species on this list and their countries of origin, as well as a few tissue cultures. The official comment period closes Mar. 3, and India's proposed date of entry into force is Mar. 25. The notice is currently under consideration by the ASTA Phytosanitary Committee with comments due by Feb. 22 in order to provide enough lead time to get them submitted to the proper officials. If you are interested in responding to this notice and are not a member of the Phytosanitary Committee, please contact Senior Director for Seed Health and Trade Ric Dunkle by email at RDunkle@amseed.org.
The country working groups were formed in order to provide an interactive forum for ASTA members, staff and regional contacts to discuss issues and to develop a strategy which identifies program goals and implementation activities specific to each of ASTA's priority markets: Argentina, Brazil, China and India. The key issues being addressed are phytosanitary regulations, intellectual property rights and biotechnology, specifically the matter of low level presence. The working groups had their first meetings via conference call mid-January to begin the process of identifying specific in-country concerns and ASTA's future programming to address these issues. If you or one of your organization's U.S. or international representatives would like to contribute to any of the working groups please contact Lisa Nichols via email at LNichols@amseed.org.
Currier Joins JGL as Account Manager JGL is pleased to announce that Randy Currier of McCrory, Ark. has joined the JGL team of account managers. Randy will service the southern U.S. territory of JGL, including Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. Prior to joining JGL, Randy served as vice president of sales & marketing of Lawhon Farm Services also in McCrory. For more information, please contact Greg Gerard. Course Offered on Breeding with Molecular Markers The University of California-Davis Seed Biotechnology Center will be offering its third Breeding with Molecular Markers course on Feb. 20-21, 2008, at the Buehler Alumni Center. This course is designed for professional plant breeders who want to learn or expand their knowledge on when and how to incorporate molecular markers into their breeding programs. It is also appropriate for lab professionals who want to learn how their work may be applied. The course focuses on current marker technologies, quantitative trait loci, marker-assisted selection, appropriate population structures and sizes and quality control. The second day will host a hands-on workshop on how to analyze marker data with phenotypic data in breeding programs. The course is taught by experienced academic and industry professionals. See the detailed schedule at agenda. On-line registration is also available. For questions, contact Susan (Webster) DiTomaso at (530) 754-7333 or at SCWebster@ucdavis.edu.
Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. (SGS MWSS) announces two upcoming seed sampling workshops to be held in Salem, Ore., on Mar. 4-5 and Brookings, S.D., on May 21-22, 2008. International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Association of Offiical Seed Analysts (AOSA) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sampling rules will be reviewed, as well as sampling methods, sealing seed lots, subdividing samples and a review of ISTA certificates. The sessions will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the first day and conclude by noon on the second day. Please visit www.mwseed.com or contact (877) 692-7611 for more details.
The International Seed Federation is pleased to announce the opening of its registration for the 2008 World Seed Congress at the Prague Congress Center in Prague, Czech Republic. Please visit the congress Web site for further information: www.worldseed2008.com. Registrations will be accepted online, by fax or by mail.
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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