Seed E-News

December 12, 2003

Study outlines Challenges to US Soybean Industry
According to a new study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the regional distribution of soybean production and processing capacity has shifted dramatically during the last decade with important consequences for the US soybean industry. The study which has been accepted for publication in the spring in the International Food and Agribusiness Management Review indicates that, since the early-1990s, the US share of world soybean production has dropped fro about 50% to less than 40%. In the same period, Brazil's share has increased to more than 25% and Argentina's to nearly 15%. For more on this, please follow this link Soybean Study.

Divided EU fails to lift GM Ban
On Monday, December 8, a divided European Union failed to agree on lifting its 5-year-old moratorium on GM foods, continuing a dispute that the US Government charges violates world trade rules and contributes to starvation in Africa. The vote, on allowing the sale of canned sweet corn from a strain developed by Swiss-based Syngenta, was split 6-6 with three countries abstaining. Spain, Britain, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Ireland were in favor; Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal and France voted against; and Germany, Italy and Belgium abstained. The failure to decide means that the application will be referred to EU ministers, probably in January, according to an EU spokeswoman. If ministers fail to decide, the issue will be passed back to the European Commission who proposed approving the corn. They will have the final word. For more on this, follow this link EU Vote.

EU Food Agency to Assess Safety of Three More GMOs
Last week, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave a clean bill of health to a GM maize from Monsanto, saying it was safe for human and animal consumption. Keen to raise its profile on GM foods, EFSA plans to deliver its verdict early next year on three more Monsanto products — two maize types and oilseed rape. Assessments are expected to be published in January on the oilseed rape and February on the maize. With the EU divided (see above), the views of EFSA are seen as key to the debate since it is independent and non-political.

Farm Groups divided on GM Crop Ban
The story of the attempt by Mendocino County, CA, to ban cultivation of GM crops continues with two influential agricultural groups split over the initiative. Measure H, as it is known, does not target the sale of GM foods but the planting of GM crops. If passed in March, Mendocino County will be the first in the US to impose such a ban. However, Farm Bureau President Peter Bradford said earlier this week that the measure is flawed because it does not adequately address the potential economic impacts on the county's agricultural industry, or the lack of county staff expertise to enforce such a ban. "We will work to defeat the measure," said Bradford. This is not a position supported by all its members. Grape grower Tim Bates, a 20-year Farm Bureau member, believes a ban on GM crops would help protect Mendocino's reputation as a center of organic farm production. The Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance is expected to stay out of the campaign. The local newspaper, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, reported that the initiative was discussed but that the Alliance decided to not take a stand either way. However, some of the county's leading organic wine grape growers, including the well-known Fetzer family, are reported as supporting the initiative. In addition, the County Agricultural Commissioner David Bengston is attempting to stay neutral in the debate. However, he has told the county Board of Supervisors that the measure does not provide any funding for enforcement of the ban and that the county agricultural staff has limited knowledge of issues surrounding a larger, global debate over GM foods.

GM Foods to remain unmarked in Israel Israeli
Industry and Trade Minister Ehud Olmert announced this week that he would not order that food produced using GM techniques be marked as such. According to the minister, despite all the tests and studies that have been conducted around the world, there is still no explicit evidence indicating that GM food constitutes a health threat. To read more, follow this link Israel.

New National Soybean Research Center to be located In Missouri
US Senator Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (R-MO) has announced that he has secured $900,000 for a National Center for Soybean Technology to be located at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The funding was included as part of the Fiscal Year 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Act. The FY 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Act has passed the House of Representatives, but still awaits final approval before the full Senate.

Industry and People
Seedway, Inc., whose President and COO is ASTA Chairman Don Wertman, acquired the assets of AgriCulver, of Trumansburg, New York on November 20, 2003. AgriCulver will operate as an independent sales organization in the Northeastern states and Rodney Porter will serve as business unit manager.

If you have any personnel changes, or other developments in your company, that you would like included in E-News, please send details to ppatterson@amseed.org.

On-Line Membership Directory
ASTA has launched its new online membership directory to which only members will have access. In the next few days, members will receive letters issuing them with their User ID and password. Members will have access to three directories — member companies, individuals and ASTA committees. Members will be able to search and sort within each directory in several ways, by member type, region, division, product and seed type. Members will also have the ability to e-mail an individual or group from the search results. We are confident that members will find this a valuable benefit of ASTA membership. The on-line directory replaces the hardcopy directory. issued in the past.

ASTA Membership Database
The on-line directory draws on the information held in the ASTA membership database. It is essential, therefore, that this information is accurate and up to date. Please take a moment to check the directory to see if any of your information has changed since you joined. Please let us know of any changes to your company name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, company ASTA representatives, etc. Details of changes can be mailed to the ASTA offices at 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 650, Alexandria, VA 22314-2875, faxed to 703-837-9365, or e-mailed to Peter Patterson, Director, Membership Services, at ppatterson@amseed.org.

Upcoming Events

January 24-27, 2004
43rd Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference
Savannah, GA
Tel: 1-888.890.7333
To register, please follow this link: Savannah

May 24-26, 2004
International Seed Federation Congress
Berlin, Germany
www.worldseed2004.com

June 27-30, 2004
121st ASTA Annual Convention
Wyndham Franklin Plaza
Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 1-888.890.7333
Annual Convention

November 7-8, 2004
ASTA 50th Farm & Lawn Seed Conference
Westin Crown Center
Kansas City, MO

December 8-10, 2004
ASTA 34th Soybean & 59th Corn & Sorghum Seed Conferences and Seed Expo 2004
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL
Tel: 1-888.890.7333

June 19-22, 2005
122nd ASTA Annual Convention
Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Tower
Seattle, WA

July 7-14, 2006
Joint ASTA-CSTA Annual Convention
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL