Seed E-News

February 16, 2007

Welcome to ASTA's electronic newsletter for members, allies and stakeholders. Please feel free to forward Seed E-News to others you believe might wish to receive news about the seed industry. ASTA respects your privacy and does not share this mailing list with other parties. If you have received this publication in error, you may unsubscribe at the end of this page. Questions, comments and your industry news are welcome — contact Lisa Dry at ASTA.

Past issues can be viewed here .

Quick Links
• USDA projects ethanol to consume 30% of corn
• ASTA's LaVigne quoted in Illinois Farm Week article on GMO outlook '07
• USDA ERS Oil Crop Outlook
• USDA ERS Rice Outlook
• USDA ERS Cotton and Wool Outlook
• USDA ERS Feed Outlook
• USDA ERS Wheat Outlook
• USDA ERS Ag Projections through 2016
• USDA ERS Organic Farmgate & Wholesale Prices

Final Pew Initiative Analysis Finds State Legislatures Continue to Focus on Agricultural Biotechnology

A new fact sheet and web database released this week by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology reveals that agricultural biotechnology continues to be of interest to state legislatures, particularly with respect to concerns about marketing, economics and liability. During the 2005-2006 legislative session, 134 pieces of legislation related to agricultural biotechnology were introduced in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

This most recent analysis identified legislative engagement on issues identified in prior fact sheets, such as liability and contracts, but also highlighted some new areas of action, such as coexistence between GE, conventional and organic farmers and producers. Twenty-nine percent of introduced legislation addressed the regulation of seeds and crops; 22 percent of introduced bills were in support of agricultural biotechnology; 16 percent of introduced bills sought to impose moratoria on GM crops and animals and 15 percent of legislation addressed rights and responsibilities of farmers and biotech seed producers by establishing liability for damages caused by genetically modified crops.

State of the States...

Most of the state legislative sessions are going strong, and ASTA is keeping a close eye on their activities.Rising to the top of the list, on the positive side, is Wyoming. A pre-emption bill, including a rewrite of the seed law, has passed the legislature and is on the Governor's desk for signature. When it goes into effect, as expected, that will bring the total to 16 states with similar laws.

In Idaho, a bill has been introduced to allow the Idaho Department of Agriculture Director to make the final decision regarding what animal and seed tests should be make public. Even though proprietary "client confidentiality" is the focus of the bill, opponents are uncomfortable with the bill's perceived hindrance to open records accessibility.

This week in California the Genetic Engineering Policy Alliance, a group representing California businesses and organizations concerned about genetic engineering, was launched to push for laws protecting the state's agriculture from genetic engineering (GE). More than 50 members have signed the platform, including the Breast Cancer Fund, California Council of Churches, Consumer Action, the California Farmers Union, Whole Foods Markets, United Natural Foods Inc. and Bon Appétit Management Company. The alliance's platform
calls for public notice of all plantings of GE crops in California, labeling of all food that contains GE ingredients, liability protection for farmers whose crops are unintentionally contaminated, and a ban on the planting of industrial and pharmaceutical crops.

For more information on these topics, contact ASTA Director of State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Pat Miller.

On Capitol Hill...

A number of bills with the potential to impact the seed industry have been introduced in committee but it's too early to predict how far they will go in the legislative process. To express your views to the involved legislators, click on their name below which will take you to an email form. If you wish to contact a member not listed below, go to web sites for the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate and enter your zip code or search by state. For more information contact Leslie Cahill.

Farm Bill. On February 14, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on USDA Proposals for the 2007 Farm Bill. Testimony was presented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, who was accompanied by Chuck Conner, USDA Deputy Secretary and Dr. Keith Collins, the USDA Chief Economist. The testimony is posted here.

Food Safety. This week Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), reintroduced legislation to develop a single food safety agency and the implementation of a food safety program to standardize American food safety activities. The lawmakers have worked on this effort for over a decade in the Congress and have gained momentum from recent events. Two weeks ago, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) deemed federal oversight of food safety as high risk to the economy and public health and safety.

Intellectual Property. On February 13th, Senators George Voinovich (R-OH) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) held a press conference to announce the introduction of SB.522, the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Act. Though the bill's text is not yet available online, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) reports that the language is similar to the 2006 bill (S.1984) with key improvements. The goal is to create a single interagency enforcement unit to combat IP theft while addressing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendation from its 2006 report on Intellectual Property Rights. The legislation would establish a formal process for consulting with companies (including small and medium-sized businesses), their designated representatives and industry associations to strengthen enforcement. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

On February 9th, Representatives Xavier Becerra (D-CA-31), and Dave Weldon (R-FL-15) introduced H.B. 977, the Genomic Research and Accessibility Act, a bill that once enacted, would put an immediate end to the practice of patenting and and all portions of the human genome. A press release stated that " The legislation gives guidance to the USPTO [U.S. Patent and Trademark Office] on what is not patentable -- in this case genetic material, naturally-occurring or modified. it is not retroactive--it does not rescind the patents already issued." The bill would amend Title 35 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations to exclude patenting nucleotide sequences and naturally occurring proteins, which would have a direct impact on the seed industry if passed in its current form . The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.

Dow AgroSciences to Host FuSE Event March 30

ASTA's Future Seed Executives (FuSE) initiative is pleased to announce an upcoming Educational Unit to be hosted by Dow AgroSciences in Indianapolis, Ind., on Friday, March 30 (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.). During the first part of the day, senior management from Dow will provide an overview of their history and activities and lead participants on a brief tour of its facilities. During the second part of the program, faculty from Purdue University will lead participants through an interactive discussion of industry issues.

Cost for attending this event is $100 for ASTA members and $150 for non-members. Click here to link to the FuSE Calendar where you will find the registration materials for the March 30 event. Space is limited to the first 25 paid participants, so register soon! For participants joining from out of town, FuSE has organized an optional social event on Thursday evening, March 29th.

FuSE Educational Units target individuals with less than seven years of seed industry experience. These units complement programs offered by the ASTA Management Academy and are designed as regional opportunities to expand learning, promote networking and improve general understanding of the seed industry.

For more information about other programs offered by FuSE, email info@futureseedexecutives.com or contact Alexis Ellicott at (703) 837-8140.

New Organic Study Reports Nearly 80 Million Global Acres

Today at BioFach 2007, the world's largest trade fair for organic products, a study titled "The World of Organic Agriculture:Statistics and Emerging Trends 2007" was presented. The study shows that nearly 76.6 million acres are currently certified according to organic standards. Australia continues to account for the largest certified organic surface area, with 29.2 million acres, followed by Argentina (7.7 million acres), China (5.7 million acres) and the United States(3.9 million acres). The most significant portion of global organic surface area is in Oceania (39%), followed by Europe (23%) and Latin America (19%).

ASTA Prepares for Quasquicentennial

In 2008, ASTA will mark its 125th anniversary and plans are underway for a celebration of "member memories" during the 125th Annual Convention scheduled for June 21 - 25 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.. During its meeting last week, the ASTA Board of Directors discussed forming an Ad Hoc Anniversary Committee to ensure that member input drives the commemoration. The Ad Hoc Anniversary Committee is currently seeking members, and hopes to mobilize quickly to begin planning. ASTA is also collecting members' photos, mementos, and personal memories from past conventions, to be included in a retrospective tribute. If you would like to participate in this new committee, or if you have a special photo, memory or souvenir that you would like to share for this compilation, please contact Jennifer Lord.

Reminder: African Seed Trade Association 7th Congress March 7-9

Registration for the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) Annual Congress 2007 is now open. The Congress will be held from March 7-9 in Livingstone, Zambia, home to beautiful Victoria Falls. The AFSTA Congress will be preceded by two seminars, which will take place on March 6: A seminar on Plant Variety Protection (PVP) facilitated by UPOV (Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties); and a seminar on seed treatment facilitated by ISF (International Seed Federation).

For more information on AFSTA and on the upcoming Congress, please visit the AFSTA website (www.afsta.org) or contact AFSTA Secretariat at:
E-mail: afsta@afsta.org
Tel: +254 20 2727853/60
Fax: +254 20 2727861

Trade Lead - Peanut Seeds

A Santo Domingo firm seeks peanut seeds for sowing up to 23 hectares (nearly 60 acres). They would like to experiment with four varieties to determine which is the best for local conditions. For more information contact Alexis Ellicott.

Company News and People on the Move

This week ASTA's Director of Member Services, Jason Laney, attended the Virginia Seed Conference in Williamsburg, Va. The Conference, sponsored by the Virginia Crop Improvement Association, was attended by more than 130 seed professionals, inspectors, educators and students. The event featured presentations covering a wide range of topics including seed treatment, ethanol production in Virginia and high value crop production in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Upcoming Industry Events

InfoAg Northwest
2/20 - 2/21
Three Rivers Convention Center
Kennewick, WA

Mississippi Seedsmen's Association Annual Meeting
2/23 - 2/25
Tunica, MS

Alabama Crop Improvement Association Southern Seed Certification Association Annual Membership Meeting
2/25 - 2/26
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center
Gainesville, FL

Click here for a schedule of additional industry events