Bayer Fluency Agent Advanced, which was introduced in 2017, helped more farmers plant more sustainably this year than ever before. Bayer developed Fluency Agent Advanced to replace standard seed lubricants made of talc, graphite or a talc-graphite blend for corn and soybean seeds. In addition to improving planter performance, Fluency Agent Advanced helps reduce the amount of total dust released …
ASTA Requests Seed Exemption on Chinese Tariffs List
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is requesting that seeds for sowing be exempted from the proposed list of supplemental retaliatory tariffs on China. “While we support the administration’s push for stronger intellectual property protection and enforcement globally, at the end of the day, the majority of these proposed tariffs will be levied on seeds owned by small and medium …
ASTA Outlines Seed Industry Priorities for Farm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee is holding its first public meeting today in Washington and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has notified committee members of key provisions important to the seed industry within the legislation. In a recent letter to Conferees, ASTA highlighted priorities within the Conservation, Trade, Research, Horticulture and Crop Insurance titles. ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne …
ASTA Responds to EU Ruling on Gene Editing
The European Union Court of Justice ruled this week that gene edited crops should be treated the same genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The court ruled that “organisms obtained by mutagenesis are GMOs within the meaning of the GMO Directive,” however it does not apply to gene-editing techniques which “have conventionally been used and have a long safety record.” The American …
Stoneville Varieties featured at Sunbelt Field Day
The Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day brought hundreds of farmers from Georgia and surrounding states. The event let’s you see demonstration plots with the latest innovative research, and visit with industry and university researchers to get up-to-date information on topics such as new seed and forage varieties, irrigation and water management, crop protection, soil fertility and precision agriculture. Stoneville took …
Inari Aims to Transform Agriculture
A new plant breeding technology company called Inari Agriculture is being introduced today with the mission to transform agriculture and its impact on society and the environment by developing a more personalized plant breeding approach. Inari is a Flagship Pioneering company headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., which started in early 2016 and has since recruited more than 80 leading research scientists …
Timac Agro USA Introduces Fertiactyl®ST Seed Treatment
Timac Agro USA, a provider of crop nutritional solutions, introduces Fertiactyl® ST, a liquid seed treatment suitable for any crop started from seed. This formulation was developed from Timac Agro’s Fertiactyl® GZ to help farmers battle environmental stress during spring planting. It is the newest addition to an extensive portfolio developed from 20 years of research and development in the …
2018 Seed Industry Awards
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) announced the winners of its 2018 seed industry awards last week during the Policy & Leadership Development Conference in Washington, D.C. The ASTA Distinguished Service award was presented to Osama El-Lissy, Deputy Administrator for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ). The award recognizes those whose efforts …
ASTA Elects 2018-19 Officer Team
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is pleased to announce its 2018-19 officer team, officially elected during the ASTA Policy & Leadership Development Conference in Washington, D.C. The members of the 2018-19 ASTA officer team are: • Chair – Jerry Flint, Corteva Agriscience™ • First Vice Chair – Wayne Gale, Stokes Seeds • Second Vice Chair — John Latham, Latham …
ASTA Policy and Leadership Conference Next Month
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) will be in Washington, D.C. June 9-13 for the new ASTA Policy & Leadership Development Conference. This new event combines ASTA’s annual convention, which has been held each June in different locations for the past 134 years, and the organization’s annual Storm the Hill lobbying day on Capitol Hill. Educational session tracks will cover: …