It’s always a pleasure for me to catch up with the sweet and lovely president of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), Risa DeMasi. We’ve been friends for three years now since she started her journey in the leadership of ASTA and it’s been really exciting to watch her grow into such a great spokesperson for such an important industry.
Risa’s first introduction to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting was at last year’s annual convention and she was very impressed at how welcoming the broadcasters were to her. This year, her company Grassland Oregon came on as a new convention sponsor and Trade Talk participant to spread the news about their research and development, particularly in the area of cover crops. “We’re commercializing some products that are coming on the market that really provide some solutions for challenges growers are facing,” she said.
Risa is excited that next month’s ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo in Chicago is featuring a big new session on Taking Cover Crops Mainstream. “We’re continuing to connect the dots so that everybody is on the same page and working together to accomplish sustainability,” she said.
In this interview, Risa updates us on some of the important issues that the seed trade industry is addressing when it comes to technology, trade, and feeding a growing population. Interview with ASTA president Risa DeMasi
