January 24, 2013
- On January 24, 2013
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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 |
In This Issue |
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52nd Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference To Convene in Scottsdale Jan. 26-29
The fun in Scottsdale actually begins the week BEFORE the Phoenix PGA Open when the annual ASTA Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference meets at the Fairmont Scottsdale with a kick off Wild West Welcome Reception. We’re expecting our largest crowd ever, with over 720 attendees and 118 participating companies in the trading room.
Registrants: Check our postings on the ASTA online community and on Twitter (#ASTAVegFlo) for information about meetings and events, travel tips and more. Don’t forget to sign up early for FREE Internet access at the hotel and ASTA’s new web app for easy navigation and networking at the conference.
Still interested in attending the Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference, click here.
Register Today for ASTA-Purdue Management Academy
Seats are quickly filling for the 2013 ASTA-Purdue Management Academy, which takes place February 25-March 1, 2013, at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Patterned like a mini-MBA program, students will explore concepts in strategy, finance, marketing, human resources and leadership. They will also have a chance to interact with seed professionals from across all segments of the industry and located across the globe. Current registrants represent nine states, Canada, France, Australia and South Africa.
"This is a great program! It motivated me and made me excited about my job," says Brooke Murphy, quality assurance manager at Germains Seed Technology in Gilroy, Calif. "I am leaving with many tools I can use to manage and empower my team more. The instructors and staff were outstanding and truly care about what they are doing."
Featured topics this year will include creating and communicating value through sales and marketing efforts, the fundamentals of financial management and what impacts a company’s profitability, effective supply chain management, leading change within an organization and using business strategy tools to position a company.
Click here to learn more about the academy or to register.
Seed Biology, Production & Quality – Last Call!
This course has been expanded to include both hands-on exercises and detailed discussions of seed production and seed technology. Topics include: Flowering and pollination, seed development and maturation, production and certification, health and phytosanitation, harvesting and conditioning, vigor and viability, storage and longevity, biotechnology and seed enhancement. This class will be at UC Davis on February 12-14, 2013. Five Registered Seed Technologist credits will be available upon completion of the class. Participants also have the opportunity to attend Seed Central Research and Technology, Brainstorming and Forum events on the afternoon of February 14th. For more information see Seed Central.
UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy
The UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy (PBA) is a premium professional program offered in the USA, Europe and Asia. To date, more than one hundred private industry breeders have attended the PBA, making it the most significant program of its kind. Registration is now open for Class III of the European Plant Breeding Academy. This program begins in October 2013. There is an early-bird registration discount available until March 31, 2013. For more information on the European Plant Breeding Academy contact Joy Patterson or visit the PBA.
Program Management for Plant Breeders- New Dates Soon!
Course objective: Enhance management skills of professional scientists who are leading and directing plant breeding and laboratory programs in modern agricultural research and development programs of agribusiness companies and the public sector.
For questions and additional information go to SBC or contact Susan DiTomaso.
Former ASTA CEO Richard Crowder Wins AFBF Distinguished Service Award
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The American Farm Bureau Federation presented its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, to Ambassador Dr. Richard Crowder at its recent annual meeting.
With more than 40 years of experience in the agriculture and food sector, Crowder has dedicated his career to advancing the farming and ranching industry. He served as the U.S. chief agriculture negotiator from January 2006 to May 2007, with the rank of ambassador, and as a senior advisor to the U.S. trade representative from May 2007 to April 2008. Prior, he served as the chief executive officer of the American Seed Trade Association.
Dr. Crowder has also held/holds various senior management and board level positions with The Pillsbury Company (now General Mills), Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., Commodity Credit Corporation, Neogen Corp. and Smithfield Foods, Inc. He is a professor of international trade at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He also serves as an adjunct professor of agricultural economics at Virginia Tech University.
"Dr. Crowder is a true ambassador of agriculture, having worked to better opportunities for farmers and ranchers in trade, biotechnology and marketing agriculture products," said AFBF President Bob Stallman. "I am honored to have worked alongside him while he served at USTR, where his work on trade agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama, as well as Russia accession into the World Trade Organization, has helped ensure better market access for farmers and ranchers."
We’re very pleased to add the following companies to our growing list of important seed industry representatives:
• Seed Genetics International Pty. Ltd
• Fertilec
• Maize Properties, Inc.
• DSM Exports
• Amerland Seeds, LLC
• Morris Bixby Group
• Danny Boy Seeds
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It’s your membership and financial support that allows ASTA to do this work and get you the information you need. Please encourage other seed industry colleagues to join ASTA and contribute to success of the industry. |
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.
