ASTA Honors Industry Leaders

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) honored seed industry ground breakers during its annual Leadership Summit this week in Sacramento. This year, ASTA’s Heritage Award was presented to two worthy individuals: Dick Crowder and Bill Latham. Crowder served as USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs from 1989 to 1992 before becoming the Senior Vice President …

ASTA, people, Seed

BioLumic and Gro Alliance Bring UV Light Technology to Row Crops

Cindy Zimmerman

BioLumic™ and Gro Alliance today announced a partnership to utilize ultraviolet (UV) light seed treatment technology for corn and soybean seed production. Based on 20 years of science and seven years of large-scale field validation, BioLumic’s proprietary light treatment technology regulates genetic expression in plants to improve yield, crop quality, root growth and plant resilience across specific cultivars. Since 2021, …

AgWired Precision, ASTA, Audio, Corn, Crop Protection, Precision Agriculture, Seed, Soybean

ASTA Releases 2023 Farm Bill Recommendations

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) recently released its policy recommendations for the 2023 Farm Bill. The recommendations fall under the following priority areas: 1) conservation; 2) agriculture research; 3) trade; 4) innovation; and 5) risk management. “Farm bills are meant to be a safety net for farmers,” said Janae Brady, ASTA Vice President for Government Affairs. “For us, the …

ASTA, Audio, Farm Bill, Farm Policy, Seed

#ASTACSS Looks at Political Lay of the Land

Cindy Zimmerman

The closing panel before the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) CSS & Seed Expo 2022 bid farewell to Chicago last week took a look at the political lay of the land with some industry experts offering insights into what the midterm elections mean for agriculture and the impacts of the new Farm Bill. The panel was moderated by ASTA Senior …

Ag Groups, ASTA, Audio, Corn, NCGA, politics, Syngenta

#ASTACSS Says Farewell Chicago and Hello Orlando

Cindy Zimmerman

When the American Seed Trade Association moves its annual December meeting and expo to Orlando next year, it will be a whole new world for attendees, with not only a new location but a new name. “It’s going to be our ASTA Field Crop Seed Conference,” said ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne. “It really does cover all field crops, …

ASTA, Audio, Seed

Seed Industry and Sustainability Demands at #ASTACSS

Cindy Zimmerman

Wednesday’s general session at the ASTA CSS & Seed Expo on Wednesday focused on the opportunities and challenges for the Seed Industry and Sustainability Demands. Tristan Brown with the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Kerry Trombley of Marathon Petroleum, and Honeywell’s Kevin O’Neil discussed how governments and corporations are increasingly leading with climate-smart and sustainability initiatives and what …

ASTA, Audio, Biofuels, carbon, Seed, Soil, Sustainability

ASTA Witness Testifies on Farm Bill Research Programs

Cindy Zimmerman

*POST UPDATED WITH AUDIO* Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee heard testimony from Dr. Katy Martin Rainey, Associate Professor, Agronomy, Purdue University, on behalf of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) during a hearing Tuesday on “Farm Bill 2023: Research Programs.” Rainey spoke to the foundational role of agriculture research in the 2023 Farm Bill in ensuring a secure agricultural …

ASTA, Audio, Farm Bill, Research

Basse Back for Farewell Chicago #ASTACSS

Cindy Zimmerman

AgResource economist Dan Basse is in high demand to provide his economic insights around the world, but he calls Chicago home and has been presenting his annual agricultural report and outlook at the ASTA CSS & Seed Expo 2022 every year since 2012. This last year for the event in Chicago was no exception and once again Basse packed a …

ASTA, Audio

Cover Crops as a System at ASTACSS

Cindy Zimmerman

One of the first sessions of the 2022 ASTA CSS and Seed Expo as it kicked off in Chicago this week was all about a systems approach to breeding cover crops for optimal rotation and it was led by former USDA NRCS chief and nationally recognized conservation expert Bruce Knight, founder of Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC, a consultancy focused on …

ASTA, Audio, Conservation, cover crops, Seed