The American Seed Trade Association CSS & Seed Expo is a wrap, but the content lives on and will lead into the next ASTA conference, the virtual Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference in February. ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne says they had nearly 1000 attendees at the virtual CSS & Seed Expo. “The great thing about virtual is you …
Sen. Pat Roberts Bids Farewell
Sen. Pat Roberts, the Republican from Kansas who has served as a leader in both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees over his four decade career in Congress, said goodbye to his Senate colleagues Thursday in a farewell floor speech. The outspoken senator who helped to write the past eight farm bills spoke about his background, how he went from …
Genome Editing Panel at #ASTACSS
Gene editing is still a relatively new technology but the promise that it holds for future food production continues to grow. It was only four years ago that the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) featured gene editing at the annual CSS and Seed Expo and held a press conference to introduce the technology to media. This year, ASTA CSS offered …
#ASTACSS Sustainability Panel Features Familiar Iowa Farmer
Sustainability is real for Iowa farmer and former National Corn Growers Association president Pam Johnson, a sixth-generation farmer who works with her husband, their two sons and their young families to produce corn and soybeans. “We can see with our own eyes how things have improved and that we’re able to do a better job year after year,” she says. …
ASTA Hires Senate Ag Veteran Janae Brady
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) this week announced Janae Brady as the organization’s new Senior Director of Government Affairs. Brady served on staff for Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry during his time as both Chairman and Ranking Member and she will now lead ASTA’s federal government affairs efforts on behalf of …
Outlook for Beef in Trade Negotiations
U.S. cattle producers are poised to recover from challenges during the global pandemic more quickly than their competitors, said Kent Bacus, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Sr. Director of International Trade and Market Access. “It’s important that we’re able to deliver the greatest profit margin possible to our producers, and any way that trade policy can help in that process …
Rosy Outlook for Seed Industry From Dan Basse
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) CSS and Seed Expo has seen a number of changes over the years, but Dan Basse of AgResource Company has given his annual agricultural outlook at the event since 2013, and he was there once again this year in the virtual world. Basse is bullish on agriculture for the year ahead. “In my 40 …
Seed Industry Focused on Trade, Innovation and Regulations
Trade challenges, regulatory issues, and innovation top the list of seed industry concerns in 2020. Attendees at the virtual American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) CSS and Seed Expo this week have the opportunity to participate in round table discussions on domestic policy and phytosanitary issues as well as innovation and trade. ASTA Vice President of Scientific Affairs & Policy Fan-Li …
Syngenta Sets New Goals for Good Growth Plan
After launching the original Good Growth Plan in 2013, Syngenta has met the initial goals and is looking further into the future of sustainability in agriculture. The company has four new commitments they will focus on through the year 2025, including accelerating innovation for farmers and nature. “It’s really around helping farmers deal with some of the extreme weather conditions …
ASTA CSS and Seed Expo Offers Future Outlook
American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Chair John Latham with Latham Hi-Tech Seeds kicked off the virtual 2020 ASTA CSS and Seed Expo Monday with nearly 1000 attendees from around the world registered to participate. “This virtual format has been great,” said Latham. “I think we really hit it out of the park this week.” Latham talks about how the industry …