Seed E-News

March 23, 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.

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In the News
• 3/20 San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial: Biotech Setback

CSTA's Patty Townsend, Vice President, and Executive Vice President Bill Leask, meet with ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne.

CSTA and ASTA Staff Meet in Virginia

Senior staff members of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) and ASTA met at ASTA's headquarters this week to discuss topics of mutual interest. The group worked through an agenda that included organizational, intellectual property and international issues, labeling, product stewardship and dispute settlement.

State of the States...

Maine. A bill has been introduced in the state legislature that could be troublesome for the state's seed dealers and set an unfortunate precedent.

If enacted, it would require the manufacturer of a genetically engineered plant part, seed or plant sold in the state to report annually to the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources the total potential amount of acreage of genetically modified crops grown from that plant part, seed or plant in the state. The bill would also provide for a process by which a manufacturer of a genetically engineered plant part, seed or plant could investigate a violation of a technology use agreement and the rights of a farmer during an investigation. It would also create a right of action and damages for a private nuisance against a manufacturer of a genetically engineered plant part, seed or plant that cross-contaminates a person's land and limits the liability of knowing and unknowing users and possessors of a genetically engineered plant part, seed or plant. For more information contact Pat Miller.

Borlaug Fellow and NCFAP Representative Meet with ASTA Staff

ASTA staff met with Izabela Tanska (left) and Dr. Sujatha Sankula this week to discuss communications methods when working with stakeholders to communicate about biotechnology and other new technologies.

Tanska is a Food Safety Adviser for IGI Food Consulting in Warsaw, Poland, and is a Borlaug Fellow visiting the U.S. She is sponsored by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency through the USDA Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Program. USDA has asked the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP) to coordinate the fellowship.

In Poland, Tanska advises the food industry on how to operate and market products according to the Polish and EU laws and serves as liaison between the food industry and the regulatory authorities. Prior to this position, she served as a Senior Specialist with the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (a Polish government agency) preparing national and EU legal acts on biotech foods, coordinating foreign affairs and biotech food division, and represented Poland on the EC's committees on Genetically Modified Food, Feed, and Environmental Risk, the Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology, Working Group on Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from the Recombinant-DNA Animals. For more information contact Lisa Dry.

APHIS Updates on Clearfield Rice and Roundup Ready Alfalfa

Rice. Testing conducted by two USDA laboratories as part of an ongoing investigation into the presence of minute levels of regulated genetic material found in Clearfield 131 (CL131) rice seed has identified LLRICE604 as the source of the genetic material. LLRICE604 was developed by Bayer Cropscience for herbicide tolerance as part of the LLRICE600 series. The protein contained in LLRICE604 phosphinothricin-N-acetyltransferase (PAT), has a long history of safe use and is present in many deregulated products. Read more ...

Alfalfa. This week APHIS's office of Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) announced that in order to comply with a March 12, 2007, preliminary injunction order by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, APHIS is informing all alfalfa growers that Roundup Ready (RR) alfalfa, is once again a regulated article, and will remain so until the agency issues a new determination consistent with court requirements. APHIS stated that a future decision regarding the deregulation of RR alfalfa will be issued only after the completion of an appropriately documented environmental analysis. Growers who have already purchased RR alfalfa seed as of March 12, may plant that seed before March 30, 2007. Growers who meet these deadlines may harvest, use and sell their RR alfalfa crop, as may growers who previously planted RR alfalfa. Any product grown from seed planted after this deadline will be subject to the full range of APHIS' remedial authorities. Read more ...

Plant Variety Protection Board Addresses Current Issues

This week ASTA Chairman Harry Collins (Delta and Pine Land Co.), and ASTA Vice President, Science & International Affairs, Bernice Slutsky attended a two-day meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board in Washington. The agenda items for the 14 members of the appointed board included PVPO finances and accomplishments, use of molecular data in DUS determination and issues surrounding improving application quality. Discussions also included efficiencies of the PVPO and its strategic plan. For more information contact Bernice Slutsky.

Act Now for ASTA Annual Convention Sponsorships and Exhibit Opportunities

ASTA's 124th Annual Convention is only three months away, June 23-27. This is an opportunity to showcase your company to the more than 500 seed industry executives in attendance by upgrading your participation to an exhibitor or sponsor level.

The Annual Convention is the only ASTA event that includes meetings of every commodity division. The Trading Room, conveniently located adjacent to registration and all meeting sessions, will feature exhibits, refreshments, wireless high-speed Internet access, a Cyber Cafe and a complimentary business center.

Exhibitor registration is now underway. Significant sponsorship opportunities are also still available - visit the Sponsorship section of the 2007 Annual Convention page to view the possibilities. Act fast - the convention will be here before you know it! For more information contact Jennifer Lord.

USDA and DOE Name Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee Members

This week USDA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the appointment of seven individuals to serve on the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee. The Committee members provide expert advice on strategic planning; the technical focus and direction of requests for proposals issued under the biomass initiative; procedures for reviewing and evaluating proposals for funding; and encouraging closer collaboration among federal and state agencies, industry and growers. Former Illinois Congressman Thomas W. Ewing will continue to serve as chairman. Read more ...

Quarantine Measures Imposed on Imported Wooden Packaging Materials to Japan

ASTA has been advised by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) that beginning April 1, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Plants Protection Branch will implement new quarantine measures on imported wooden packaging materials to prevent damage to Japanese forests caused by the introduction of non-native insects.

Company News and People on the Move

Monsanto and BASF announced a long-term joint research and development (R&D) and commercialization collaboration in plant biotechnology that will focus on the development of high yielding crops and crops that are more tolerant to adverse environmental conditions such as drought. The collaboration is effective immediately.

Upcoming Industry Events

California Seed Association Annual Meeting
3/25 - 3/28
Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Coronado, CA

Iowa Crop Improvement Association
3/29
Annual Meeting
Iowa State Center Scheman Building
Ames, IA

AOSCA Sunflower National Variety Review Board
4/10
Fargo, ND

AOSCA Western Region Meeting
4/16- 4/18
Wingate Inn of Bozeman
Bozeman, MT

Click here for a schedule of additional industry events