Seed E-News

February 8, 2010

Welcome to the electronic newsletter of the American Seed Trade Association(ASTA) for members, allies and stakeholders. Please feel free to forward the Seed E-News to others you believe might wish to receive news about the seed industry. Questions, comments and your industry news are welcome — contact Julie Douglas at ASTA. Past issues can be viewed here .

In This Issue • ASTA News • State of the States • Out & About • Seed Industry Calendar • Educational Opportunities • Employee Announcements

ASTA News

ASTA goes Viva Las Vegas:

The 49^th Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference wrapped up last week in Las Vegas. I'm happy to say it was a big success. We had our best attendance ever. Committee meetings and member participation were outstanding and the speaker lineup was fantastic. The weather cooperated on Saturday and golfers had an outstanding outing at the TPC Las Vegas Golf Course. A special thanks to Merv Selvidge for his help with the organization of the tournament. On Sunday the ASTA Gives Back group spent a morning at the Springs Preserve cleaning native species seeds and working on student educational projects. The Viva Las Vegas Welcome Reception, sponsored by Syngenta Seed Care, was a fun-filled evening and Elvis was in the house.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all the convention sponsors. Without their strong support, meetings like this would be very difficult. And finally I want to express my sincere appreciation to Jennifer Lord Crouse and all the ASTA staff for their hard work. The success of this meeting is credited to their dedication and attention to detail. Thank you very much.

Rick Falconer
Chair, Vegetable and Flower Seed Division
American Seed Trade Association

Conference attendees promote native plants, give back to the community

Seed industry volunteers attending the 49^th Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference, hosted by the American Seed Trade Association Jan. 24-27, spent half a day at the Springs Preserve cleaning seed for plant propagation and creating an educational activity for youth.

The Springs Preserve, located on 180 acres of land in the middle of Las Vegas, Nev., is comprised of 150 plants species native to the Mojave Desert and promotes a more sustainable environment through educational programming. Demonstration projects at the preserve, such as solar panels that collect 70 percent of the energy used by the facilities and a desert wetland that collects water for processing and reuse, are key to educating the public about the local ecosystem.

Twenty-six volunteers cleaned Penstemon pinifolius seed,commonly known as pineleafpenstemon, and developed an educational tool encouraging local kids to plant native grasses in the spring.

Participants extracted seed from cut plants and conditioned seed to improve germination. Later the extracted seeds will be weighed and entered into the database system at the Springs Preserve. Each seed will be assigned a lot number and planted in greenhouse cells where they will stay until they reach 1-2 inches in height. Then they will be transplanted.

"The pineleaf penstemon have a beautiful flower and attract humming birds," said Tim Goldstein, Springs Preserve Garden worker who led the ASTA volunteer group in cleaning the seed for plant propagation.

Betsy Peterson, of the California Seed Association in Sacramento, Calif., said she enjoys the opportunity to learn about the community where the seed conferences are held and leave something behind that will benefit the community later.

For the kid's educational project, volunteers created egg planters to be used in a Sustainable Egg Hunt March 27.  The planters were created by cutting the tops off the eggs, emptying and rinsing the interior of the egg and putting a drainage hole in the bottom. The shells were then filled with soil, seed and a light top dressing of vermiculite.

"Sustainable means becoming better stewards of how we use our natural resources," said Russ Harrison, Springs Preserve plant propagation specialist and curator. "This activity is designed to encourage youth and their parents to landscape with native plants."

One of the most precious resources of the area is water. "Generally, we can say there is a water crisis in the entire seven basin states," Harrison said. "This region is considered to be in a drought and no one knows how long it will last. We are trying to figure out how we can continue to live here by better utilizing our water resources. It's not a Las Vegas problem; it's a much bigger problem. We are globally connected. Through education about native plants, we are encouraging people in the area to landscape with plants that genetically require less water."

Lisa Wade who participated for the first time in the ASTA Gives Back project with her husband Michael Wade said she believes "Thinking globally and acting locally is the key to creating a sustainable environment." The Wades represent BBB Seed, located in Boulder, Colo., and both said it felt good to contribute to teaching kids about native plants and the lost art of plant propagation.

"Plants in the Mojave Desert are asked to survive in temperatures ranging anywhere from 15 degrees to 115 degrees, which makes it difficult for transplanted plants to survive in the region," Harrison said. "The Mojave Desert is still considered the 'Wild West.' There is not much information or research on the plants here. We record everything we do to help build up a bank of information relating to plants of the Mojave."

Harrison said that for a plant species to be considered native to the Mojave, it must come from Colorado River Basin watershed. "Even if the same plant is purchased from Colorado and relocated here, because it came from a different watershed, it has a different genetic makeup."

Ric Dunkle, senior director of seed health and trade for ASTA, asked about invasive plants and learned that Brome grass is considered invasive to the Mojave Desert and is a fire hazard.

For more information about the Springs Preserve, visit http://www.springspreserve.org.

View photos from the Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference on Facebook© and Flickr.

Ag research vital to reach next "Green Revolution," expert says

A tighter future agricultural supply-demand balance, rising real food prices and the increasing role of agricultural commodities in meeting energy needs are all challenges emphasized during a presentation to American Seed Trade Association's conference attendees Jan. 25 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Dr. Gale Buchanan, dean and director emeritus for the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, called attention to the finite resources available for production agriculture such as land, water, petroleum and phosphorus. The growing population, expectations for better living and the addition of animal protein to the diet are just a few things that are the impetus for change. One billion people in poor countries rarely get enough to eat, he pointed out.

"The future success of agriculture depends on production improvements," said Buchanan who presented an issue paper on behalf of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) at ASTA's 49^th annual Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference. "We've got to take what we've got and make it better. Science drives the seed business. Science will change the seed business; to be successful in business you have to change with the times."

The paper "Agricultural Productivity Strategies for the Future:  Addressing U.S. and Global Challenges" was released Jan. 19 by CAST and is an update to the first paper published by CAST in 1973, written by Dr. Norman Borlaug. This paper, one of the last papers Borlaug contributed to, is available online at http://www.cast-science.org.

"It's become increasingly clear to me that we are not investing in the research needed to take the United States to the next plateau," Buchanan said. "This complacency is unwarranted given the complex issues in front of us."

As petroleum becomes more limited, it will become more expensive, Buchanan said. Agricultural output will always be a part of the energy picture, which is a new paradigm for us, he said.

"The solutions or means of addressing these challenges must come from increased productivity, because there is not a lot of available land to bring into production," Buchanan explained.

Buchanan discussed the global economy and explained how everything is connected and nothing is isolated - from policies and the environment, to infrastructure and supply and demand. Every country must seek to optimize its infrastructure to improve production.

"There must be a greater commitment for sustained support of research," Buchanan said. "We need to work with others around the world on these issues critical to our sustainability."

This does not just include agronomy, botany and plant pathology or animal science, but will be a more holistic approach, Buchanan explained. It needs to be a multidisciplinary approach and include emerging sciences such as nanotechnology.

"Genetics will still be important," he said. "Biotechnology and the production of genetically modified organisms will play a key role in food production."

Buchanan highlighted a few potential solutions including:  improvements in the photosynthesis of plants; enabling non-legume plants to fix nitrogen; improving pest resistance of plants; and developing more nutrient efficient plants.

"These are unique complex issues and we must be committed to solving these problems by investing in research and science that will bring success 30 and 40 years down the road," Buchanan said. "The technology we are benefiting from today was developed three and four decades ago. We need to think about sustainability for future generations."

Buchanan believes that any country that doesn't take the initiative and invest in agricultural research would be remiss.

"All countries need to invest in ag research, particularly the ones in great need," he said. Countries such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa may not be able to produce enough food, but could provide biomass for energy and contribute to the global economy, Buchanan explained.

"Understanding these challenges is not just on the shoulders of the President or Congress or state legislators, but on the public in general. Policymakers listen to the public and that's why it's important for the public to begin to understand these dynamic relationships."

For more information on the issue paper, visit the CAST Web site at http://www.cast-science.org/. CAST was founded in 1972 to better communicate the science behind food and agricultural issues.

Join CAST and help educate the public about agricultural issues

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), a non-profit organization based in Ames, Iowa, addresses issues concerning animal sciences, biotechnology, energy and biofuels, food safety and nutrition, plant and soil sciences, and the environment.

CAST assembles teams of volunteer scientists who write publications to help inform legislators, regulators, policymakers, media, private businesses and the public.

"Members of CAST have input, they help with impact, and they are investing in future research," said John Bonner, executive vice president and CEO. "As a member, you help decide what is covered and written about."

Publications coming down the pipeline include:

• Air Issues Associated with Animal Agriculture:  A North American Perspective
• Convergence of Agriculture and Energy:  IV. Infrastructure Requirements for Biomass Harvest, Transportation, and Storage
• Energy Flow in Agricultural Systems:  Corn and Soybean Production
• Food, Fuel, and Plant Nutrient Use in the Future

More information about membership benefits is available at http://www.cast-science.org/membership.asp.

CAST was founded in 1972 after the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council identified the need for better communication of the science behind food and agricultural issues.

For questions and additional information about CAST, contact Bonner at 515-292-2125, ext. 25, jbonner@cast-science.org or Linda Chimenti at 515-292-2125, ext. 31, lchimenti@cast-science.org.

The 2010 All-America Selections winners are:

• Echinacea purpea 'PowWow Wild Berry,' bred by PanAmerican Seed Company
• Marigold F₁ Hybrid African 'Moonsong Deep Orange,' bred by Syngenta Flowers
• Zinnia 'Double Zahara Cherry,' bred by PanAmerican Seed Company 
• Zinnia 'Double Zahara Fire,' bred by PanAmerican Seed Company
• Watermelon F₁ Hybrid 'Shiny Boy,' bred by Known-You Seed Company

For questions and additional information, visit http://www.all-americaselections.org/newest_winners.asp or call 630-963-0770.

AAS, founded in 1932, is a non-profit organization for evaluating new seed-grown flowers and vegetables from around the world for home garden performance. To identify All-America flowers and vegetables, look for the All-America Selections Winner emblem on seed packets, seed catalogs and on bedding plants.

State of the States

Miller identifies 24 bills with potential impact to the seed industry

To date, 37 state legislatures have convened for the 2010 session. Of the 11,000 bills filed, Pat Miller, director of state affairs for the American Seed Trade Association, has identified 24 that could have potential implications for the seed industry.

"Most legislatures remain focused on budget issues," Miller said. "Florida, Pennsylvania and South Dakota have introduced bills that increase taxes or add fees for seed. Meanwhile, Maine, New Hampshire and Hawaii have bills that if passed, would require notations on labels for genetically engineered seed."

The Indiana Seed Trade Association supported a bill that recently passed out of the State House Ag Committee. This bill makes numerous changes to the state's seed law, including reporting procedures, over-labeling for certain seed lots, increased authority for noxious weed seed restrictions to the seed commissioner and an increase in seed inspection fees, Miller said.

Miller and the ASTA team will continue to monitor, report on and assist with these bills as requested by the state and regional associations. For questions and additional information, contact Miller at 703-837-8140, ext. 331 or pmiller@amseed.org.

ASTA meets with ASA on joint project in Buenos Aires

Lisa Nichols, American Seed Trade Association director of international programs, traveled to Argentina Jan. 27-29 to plan for Phase II of the Argentina Seed Innovation Outreach Project.

The project, a partnership of ASTA and the Argentine Seed Association (ASA) with the support of the Seed Association of the Americas (SAA), is designed to provide the Argentinean seed industry with information and tools to help educate stakeholders and government officials about the strong need for intellectual property protection.

Phase II, to be implemented in FY10, involves the development of communication materials, a Web site and a communications outreach strategy.

"Outreach will be conducted through face-to-face meetings with growers in specific regions of Argentina, material distribution at expos and small seed company meetings, and the Web site," Nichols said.

While in Buenos Aires, Nichols met with ASA, SAA and MCA Communication who will assist in the implementation of this project, to set the strategy and timeline for Phase II of the Argentina Seed Innovation Outreach Project.

Phase I, completed by ASTA in 2009, identified the appropriate themes to use with growers and other stakeholders in Argentina by conducting farmer focus groups. Through these efforts, ASTA not only learned the opinions of farmers on intellectual property protection but concurrently the individuals involved in the focus groups become more versed in the benefits of certified versus pirated seed.

While in the region, Nichols also had the opportunity to visit the SAA offices in Montevideo, Uruguay.  For more information on this project and how to get involved in this or similar international activities, contact Nichols at 703-837-8140 or lnichols@amseed.org.

Seed Industry Calendar

Corn Belt Seed Conference covers more than seed

The Corn Belt Seed Conference, hosted jointly by Indiana Crop Improvement Association and Indiana Seed Trade Association, will be held Feb. 11-12 in Indianapolis, Ind.

The program will begin with an 8:30 a.m. session "Breaking Barriers in the Plant Sciences:  Perspective, People, Partners," by Jay Akridge, Glenn W. Sample Dean, Purdue College of Agriculture.

The conference will take place at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel and Suites, located at 8787 Keystone Crossing. Registration costs range from $195-$250 depending on the days attended. Registration details are available at http://www.cbsconference.org/register.html.

Additional sessions and speakers include:

• "How to Destroy the No. 1 Barrier to Sales," by Rod Osthus, RC Thomas Company.
• "Barriers of Wet Milling a Wet Crop Year," by Marvin Wiederhold, Tate & Lyle.
• "Refuge in a Bag - The Concept, the Science, the Labeling," by Kevin Steffey, Dow AgroSciences, and Larry Nees, Office of the Indiana State Chemist and Seed Commissioner.
• "Climate Change and Agriculture - Thinking Beyond Greenhouse Gas Emissions," by Dev Niyogi, Indiana State climatologist.
• "The Business of Trading Carbon," by Gary DeLong, Novecta.
• "Economic and Policy Issues on Climate Change," by Wally Tyner, Purdue agricultural economist.

Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to attend one of two workshops held Feb. 11 from 3:15-4:45 p.m. The first workshop will feature corn and production management, while the other workshop focuses on disease management.

The American Seed Trade Association's CEO Andy LaVigne and Joe Kelsay, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, will give brief updates during the breakfast buffet Feb. 12.

Prior to the Corn Belt Seed Conference, individuals can sharpen their leadership skills Feb. 10 at the Leadership Development Academy, also held at the hotel. Participants will be introduced to situational leadership, motivational techniques and team building. The academy will feature Rodney Vandeveer, associate professor in the College of Technology at Purdue University. Vandeveer teaches human behavior in organizations, leadership philosophy, leadership strategies for quality and productivity, entrepreneurship and emerging world-class leadership strategies.

Learn more about the academy at http://www.cbsconference.org/leadership%20academy.html.

For questions and additional information about the conference or the leadership development academy, call 765-523-2535 or visit http://www.cbsconference.org/index.html.

Join CropLife online for a discussion about meeting global food needs

CropLife will co-host the Town Hall event, Now Serving: 9 Billion -- A Global Dialogue on Meeting Food Needs for the Next Generation, on Friday, Feb. 12.

The event -- which will take place in Washington, D.C. and will be Webcasted on the www.CropNewsNetwork.com site -- brings together a panel of agricultural experts who will discuss policy solutions to agricultural challenges of the future.  Moderated by Frank Sesno, formerly with CNN and currently the head of George Washington University's Public Policy Department, the panel includes:

• Dr. Robert Paarlberg, professor at Wellesley College, author of Starved for Science: How Biotechnology is Being Kept Out of Africa
• Dr. Nina Federoff, science and technology advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State and to the administrator of USAID, author of Mendel in the Kitchen
• Dr. Calestous Juma, Pew award winner and professor of practice at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
• Mark Cantley, former head of the European Commission's "Concertation Unit for Biotechnology in Europe" and of OECD's Biotechnology Unit
• Dr. Gale Buchanan, former USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, and lead author of the paper Agricultural Productivity Strategies for the Future: Addressing U.S. and Global Challenges

The discussion builds off a recent Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) paper that identifies many of the challenges that agriculture will face in the coming years.  The CAST paper, which was sponsored by CropLife's Plant Biotechnology Communications Committee, includes a preface by Dr. Norman Borlaug -- his last written piece before passing away last year -- which urges action for a Second Green Revolution. 

 Interested individuals can listen to the discussion on Friday from 10 a.m. to noon EST at www.CropNewsNetwork.com.  Questions will be taken during the event  from the live audience, as well as the virtual audience participating online through e-mail and Twitter.  Participants can also submit questions in advance of the event through Facebook or e-mail.

 The event is co-hosted by CropLife, BIO, and CAST.

 For more information, contact Deb Carstoiu at deb.carstoiu@croplife.org. 

Seed Biotechnology Center to offer hands on two-day breeding course

Plant breeders wanting to learn more about molecular markers are invited to attend a short-course Feb. 16-17 at the University of California, Davis, Seed Biotechnology Center.

The course will focus on strategies for using molecular tools in different breeding schemes and crops.

"Technology has significantly advanced plant breeding in the past decade and these tools can be integrated in a cost-effective way to accelerate breeding programs for most crops," said Allen Van Deynze, researcher at UC Davis's Seed Biotechnology Center.

The course will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 16 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 17 in the AGR Room of the Buehler Alumni and Visitor Center on Old Davis Road. Registration costs $550, which includes two lunches, one social and course materials. Registration is available online at http://tinyurl.com/yar742u.

Participants will learn what technologies are available for different crops and when and what types of molecular markers should be used in breeding programs. These include marker-assisted selection, accelerated backcrossing and quantitative trait loci. Individuals also will learn about the latest methods for mapping and introducing quantitative traits into germplasm and the software used.

Topics and speakers include:

• Dissecting quantitative traits, Hamid Ashrafi, data analyst at UC Davis's Seed Biotechnology Center.

• Software and databases for managing and selecting molecular markers, Van Deynze and David Francis, Ohio State University tomato breeder and geneticist.
• The effect of population structure on linkage/parental selection with molecular markers, Michael Louis, director of Monsanto's Crop Biometrics.
• Marker-assisted backcrossing, Gene Hookstra, Eurofins, general manager of genetic services.
• Marker-assisted selection and practical applications of markers, Jorge Dubcovsky, UC Davis professor and wheat breeder/geneticist.
• Molecular breeding for disease resistance, Richard Michelmore, UC Davis professor and director of the UC Davis Genome Center.

Participants will earn continuing education units for completing the two-day course.

For a registration form and the complete agenda, visit http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/files/bmm_brochure_2010.pdf. Additional questions should be directed to Jeannette Martin at 503-752-4984 or jmartins@ucdavis.edu.

Employee Announcements

New appointment for INCOTEC's Kyle Rushing

Kyle Rushing has accepted a new position within INCOTEC as senior research specialist for the technology area "Actives." INCOTEC defines "Actives" as "all substances which have a positive impact on germination, emergence, final plant stand, overall crop development and final yield". The group of actives includes plant protection products and growth stimulants of both chemical and biological nature. Rushing will coordinate the global scouting and research program on new seed applied actives and will work closely with the INCOTEC research teams worldwide.

Rushing will begin his new position April 1 and will be operating from Dallas, Texas.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the INCOTEC Group is a worldwide leader in coating and seed technology serving the agronomic, vegetable and flower seed industries. INCOTEC and PROTEIOS have activities in the United States, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, India, Australia, China and South Africa. Additional information about INCOTEC is available at http://www.incotec.com.

Blazek joins National Garden Bureau, All-America Selections

The National Garden Bureau and All-America Selections welcomed Diane Blazek to the organization Dec. 17 as the executive director.

Blazek comes to the organization from Arment Dietrich, Inc., where she served as vice president of business development and then as president for the Chicago public relations firm. Prior to that, Blazek was the president and publisher for Ball Publishing where she worked for 15 years.

"I am honored to be the one chosen to carry on Nona's work with these two organizations," Blazek said. "Times have changed and there are certainly challenges ahead, but there are also some wonderful opportunities for both organizations. I look forward to building upon the foundations in place to work with and benefit both the horticulture and gardening communities."

She succeeds Nona Wolfram-Koivula who has served the two horticultural organizations for the last 25 years.

AAS promotes new garden seed varieties that pass the test of superior garden performance judged in impartial trials throughout North American and NGB is a non-profit organization providing reliable, accurate gardening information on flowers and vegetables.

Blazek can be contacted at dblazek@attglobal.net.

Please Remember a Friend of the Industry

Margaret Louise Stock

Margaret Louise Stock, 88, passed away on Jan. 13 in Nebraska. For more than 50 years Margaret and her husband Lyle farmed outside of Murdock, Neb.  They were pioneers in the production of native grass and wildflower seed and eventually established Stock Seed Farms Inc. Together they dedicated their life work to growing seeds. They raised three sons, Dave, Darrell, and Ron. In 2005 they moved to Legacy Estates in Lincoln. Margaret was active in the Murdock Ebenezer United Methodist church and United Methodist Women. An accomplished artist of farm scenes and prairie wildflowers, she was a loving, devoted wife and mother, and a great friend to many.

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.