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September 8, 2006
ASTA is pleased to relaunch its electronic newsletter to members, allies and stakeholders. You have been identified as someone who has an interest in the seed industry. If that is not the case, you may unsubscribe at end of this page. Please feel free to forward Seed E-News to others you believe might like to subscribe, so they, too, can receive Seed E- News. ASTA respects your privacy and does not share its mail lists with other parties. Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome — contact Lisa Dry. Quick Links Iowa
State University Announces Advanced Degree in Seed Technology
ASTA Meets with Key Allies to Discuss State Issues ASTA Attends ISF Meeting on Adventitious Presence
On September 7, ASTA participated in the first face- to-face meeting of the ISF Adventitious Presence (AP) Working Group. The meeting took place in Brussels and made good progress in establishing priorities and a work plan for the Working Group. The Working Group will lead industry efforts on adventitious presence in seed. It has identified as its priority environmental risk assessments under those circumstances when a genetically engineered seed variety is authorized in a country of production or export but is not yet authorized in a country of import. The ISF Working Group will meet again during ASTA's Corn and Sorghum Research Conference in Chicago, December 6-8. The ISF Working Group is coordinating closely with the industry coalition that is addressing adventitious presence in food and feed. For more information contact Bernice Slutsky. CERES CEO to Discuss Biofuels at Joint ASTA/WSA Meeting
Richard Hamilton, CEO of Ceres, Inc. will speak on switchgrass and biofuels during the joint Western Seed Association and ASTA Farm and Lawn Seed Meeting in Kansas City, Mo., November 4-7. Ceres, has mapped the genome for switchgrass, and has a collaboration with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. for the development and commercialization of new, advanced biomass crops for fuel ethanol production. Dr. Hamilton and Ceres's work are featured today in a New York Times article titled "Redesigning Crops to Harvest Fuel: Scientists as Custom Tailors of Genetics." Also included in the article are ASTA members Syngenta, DuPont and Monsanto. Dr. Hamilton will speak at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6 during the ASTA Farm Seed Division Meeting. For more information contact Leslie Cahill. New Online Service Connects Organic Seed Suppliers with Customers OMRI Executive Director and Project Manager Dave DeCou noted the goal is to create a single place for growers and certifiers to find supplies of organic seed. While the US DA organic rule requires that organic growers plant organic seed, it also contains an exemption allowing non-organic seed to be used if organic seed is not commercially available. The OMRI Seed Database will address this by providing growers a place to search for available organic seed and by offering certifiers a tool to verify whether organic seed is available in the particular variety. Check it Out: Update ASTA Membership Directory Listings ASTA Joins Industry Leaders to Discuss GE Food Imports
The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology hosted an invitation only workshop this week to discuss "Commercial, Safety, and Trade Implications Raised by Importation of Genetically Engineered Ingredients, Grain or Whole Foods for Food, Feed, or Processing." Andy LaVigne joined industry leaders including the North American Export Grain Association, Grocery Manufacturers Association, California Citrus Quality Council, and others as well as regulators from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and USDA to share thoughts on handling GE imports and identifying where biotech products may add new challenges to the marketplace. The primary goal was to consider the commercial and regulatory implications of having new biotech products — developed in other countries and evaluated under different regulatory regimes — enter the global market place, particularly the impact of importation into the U.S. Later this year Pew will publish proceedings intended to capture the range of ideas expressed. For more information contact Andy LaVigne.
Upcoming Industry Events California
Seed Trade Association Mid-year Meeting ASTA Executive Committee Meeting
NASDA 2006 Annual Meeting Atlantic Seed Association Annual Meeting
Click here for a schedule of additional industry events American Seed Trade Association
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Grain Handler's Database • Seed Quality Management • CSS 2008 & Seed Expo • 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference • 125th Annual Convention |