This year’s American Seed Trade Association’s CSS 2014 & Seed Expo has been redesigned to focus on the most relevant and cutting-edge issues facing the seed industry. Organizers are inviting potential attendees to take a look at the schedule and see the topics for the Dec. 8-12 event in Chicago, Illinois, the largest seed industry conference in the country. Keynote …
EPA Findings on Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments
The EPA released an analysis of the benefits of neonicotinoid seed treatments for insect control in soybeans. Neonicotinoid pesticides are a class of insecticides widely used on U.S. crops that EPA is reviewing with particular emphasis for their impact on pollinators. The analysis concluded that there is little or no increase in soybean yields using most neonicotinoid seed treatments when …
Verdeisan Adds Sales Expertise
Verdesian Life Sciences has increased its sales staff with the hiring of four sales experts: Bob Bischoff, John Henize, Brad Meckle and Mark Seipel who will join Verdesian as regional sales managers. The new team members will help to drive sales growth and support relationships with key customers in the plant nutrition, seed treatment and inoculants product categories. “As we …
Wyffels Hybrids’ Growth Spurs Organizational Changes
Starting the season with its third-largest sales increase in company history, Wyffels Hybrids announced key changes to its sales and marketing department, including opening a new vice president of sales and marketing position. “Our business is growing and we need to be able to continue to service our customers with the quality and expediency they have come to expect,” said …
Bayer Synergy Between Biologics and Vegetables
The new Bayer CropScience $80 million dollar integrated research and development facility is a great marriage between the company’s biologics and vegetable seeds businesses. The courtship started when Bayer acquired AgraQuest in 2012 and Mike Millie was part of that acquisition. “Started with AgraQuest back in 2004,” said Millie. When Bayer came in, “at that point we were already out …
On Track with Bayer CropScience Biologics
The California Railroad Museum was the venue for Bayer CropScience to gather with friends and dignitaries in the warm up show for the grand opening of the new Biologics and Vegetable Seeds Research & Development Center in West Sacramento, California. Liam Condon, CEO of Bayer CropScience and Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer CropScience AG, made a connection …
Ag Leader Focuses on Seed, Water, and Nutrient Management
The first Ag Leader Technology Tech Meets Dirt Road Tour around Illinois is now history now and it seems like it was a big success. I attended the event near Peoria and was able to chat with presenters in each of the main focus areas – seed, water, and nutrient management. Matt Cannon, a farmer from central Iowa, talked about …
ABM Announces New Patent to Improve Plant Growth
Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM) announces the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 8,716,001 for a Trichoderma strain that induces resistance to plant diseases and increases plant growth. The patent was issued to Cornell University and ABM has exclusive worldwide rights. The patent covers the technology that induces gene expression triggers for healthier and more productive plants. The Trichoderma works by first …
Bayer CropScience Introduces Credenz Soybean Seed
Offering growers a new level of choice and performance, Bayer CropScience announced the introduction of Credenz, the company’s first global soybean seed brand, commercially available in U.S. markets this month. Delivering a wide range of varieties and traits, Credenz builds on Bayer CropScience’s substantial technology platform, integrating smart genetics, traits and varieties to maximize yield performance. The new brand will …
ASTA Committee on Innovations and Policy
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 …