The American Seed Trade Association has had a Biotechnology Committee for two decades, but as it is now the Innovations and Policy Committee. Pictured here from the ASTA annual meeting are immediate past committee chair Keith Newhouse with Winfield Solutions and current chair Mark Krieger of Dow AgroSciences who presided at the first meeting of the committee under the new …
ASTA Supports International Plant Treaty
You may have never heard about the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture but the multi-lateral agreement is considered crucial in the fight against global hunger and poverty. “The treaty is an international regime where countries decided that we needed to do something about conserving and sustainably using plant genetic resources for food and agriculture,” said …
Purdue President Proud to be Pro-GMO
Former Indiana governor and current president of Purdue University Mitch Daniels had some strong words for opponents of biotechnology when he addressed the American Seed Trade Association annual meeting in Indianapolis recently. “It’s bogus for people to try and alarm consumers about fictional difficulties with biotechnology,” said Daniels in an interview with Brownfield Ag News following his address. “The fight …
Students Honored for Research at ASTA
College students from across the country had the opportunity to enter American Seed Trade Research Foundation’s Operation Student Exchange. The winning student was announced during a Future Seed Executives 10th Anniversary Reception at ASTA’s recent annual meeting. Leah Ruff’s poster presentation and research was selected this year’s winner and she received the Roger Kruegar Scholarship. The scholarship honors the late …
Meet ASTA’s New Second Vice Chair
Mark Herrmann with Monsanto’s vegetable seed division is the new second vice chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) after elections held during the annual meeting last week in Indianapolis. “The seed industry has been an exciting place to be for the last 30 years,” said Herrmann, who has been involved with ASTA for about 20 of those 30 …
ASTA Distinguished Service Awards
Two individuals were honored for their distinguished service to the seed industry at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting last week. June Blalock retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in April of this year, after having served as the technology licensing program coordinator in the ARS Office of Technology Transfer for more than years. …
FuSE Celebrates 10 Years of Training Young Seed Execs
During the 131st American Seed Trade Association’s Annual Convention in Indianapolis, IN. the Future Seed Executives (FuSE) held a joint FuSE/Management Skills committee meeting focused on the Power of Inclusive Leadership. I spoke with FuSE founder and Vice President, Business Development for Gro Alliance, Jim Schweigert, and he shared what lead him to start this group for young professionals in …
ASTA First Vice Chair from Oregon
We’ve talked with American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) first vice chair Risa DeMasi a couple of times before – a year ago when she was elected as the first woman officer of ASTA and again in December at the Seed Expo when we learned more about her company Grassland Oregon, which is very involved in the development of new cover …
Top Researchers Share Insights on Food Security
Two World Food Prize winners shared their insights and experiences during a general session at the 131st American Seed Trade Association’s Annual Convention. Each shared what the seed trade industry can do to help feed the growing global population while sitting on a panel and taking questions from attendees. Professor Emeritus of Food Science at Purdue University, Dr. Phillip Nelson, …
New ASTA Chairman Focused on Advocacy
John Schoenecker of HM Clause moves into the chairmanship of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) after elections were held at the annual meeting in Indianapolis Thursday. “As I become chair, one of my focuses will be advocacy,” Shoenecker said in an interview. “That’s part of our strategic plan, something we need to do to get the word out on …