First the Seed Foundation (FTSF) is a not-for-profit organization established in 2008 by the American Seed Trade Association with a focus on attracting bright young minds to the industry. “The seed industry is an exciting, dynamic, high tech industry,” said Foundation chairman Bud Hughes of Verdant Partners during an update at CSS 2014 and Seed Expo last week. “We want …
More Renewable Energy Means Healthier Forests
Harvesting biomass from forests is not only helping those forests’ health, it’s helping the country achieve energy independence. This news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) has removed 200,000 tons of biomass that could have been a fire risk and was turned into biofuels. “This initiative helps to retrieve forest residues that …
Get ARC Activities on 2015 Calendar
We’ve got a lot of activities on our 2015 calendar and here are a few more we need to add. How about getting them on your calendar? Agricultural Relations Council President Mike Opperman says he is expecting continued growth in the next year. The board also developed and put into place a strategic plan that will help guide future ARC …
GOP Senate Ag Committee Members Named
The new Republican majority Senate has made committee assignments for the 114th Congress. For the Agriculture Committee, the new faces are Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Joni Ernst of Iowa, David Perdue of Georgia and Thom Tillis of North Carolina – all newly elected senators. Retired senators include Republicans Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, and Democrat …
African Seed Trade Learns from ASTA
It was AFSTA meets ASTA last week at the CSS 2014 and Seed Expo in Chicago. Denias Zaranyika is the Vice President of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) and he attended last week’s event to see what he could bring home to his colleagues in the countries of Africa. “We want to exchange information and learn from Americans,” he …
Future Seed Executives at CSS & Seed Expo
Future Seed Executives (FuSE) had a week full of activities last week at the ASTA CSS & Seed Expo, including some quality time with Bill Whitacre president and CEO of Simplot. FuSE Iniative is an official subcommittee of the American Seed Trade Association’s (ASTA) Management Skills Committee. Since its formal inception in 2004, FuSE has focused on educating and supporting …
Swine BioPortal Provides Flexibility to Data Evaluation
The collection of data is important when it comes to monitoring the PRRS virus. But what do you do with all those numbers once you have them? Dr. Enrique Mondaca, Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI), hit on that during BIVI’s session at the North American PRRS Symposium last week in Chicago. The Swine BioPortal is an answer to how veterinarians and producers …
Students Present Posters at ASTA CSS
Three students were awarded prizes sponsored by Dow AgroSciences for their winning poster presentations at the ASTA CSS 2014 and Seed Expo last week in Chicago. First place was awarded to Adam Gaspar from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who is pictured here explaining his presentation to one of the judges. Second place went to Lillian Brzostowski, a student at the …
Fermentation Education from BASF at CSS
Fermentation education was going on at the BASF booth during the ASTA CSS 2014 and Seed Expo last week in Chicago. The fermentation educator was BASF Biological Operations Manager Chris Feiden who explained and demonstrated for us the fermentation and filling process that takes place at BASF research facility in St. Joseph, Missouri and their quality assurance process. “We walk …
Economic Outlook at ASTA
Back again by popular demand this year at the ASTA CSS 2014 and Seed Expo was AgResource Company president Dan Basse giving his economic outlook for the year ahead. Basse says the protein side of the plate is doing very well right now, dairy and beef in particular, “so we call it the Year of the Cow” and while grain …