Among all the seminars and committee meetings of the American Seed Trade Association’s annual meeting one of the most important items of business was the election of the officer team for the coming year. They are: • Chair: Mark Herrmann, AgReliant Genetics • First Vice Chair: Tracy Tally, Justin Seeds • Second Vice Chair: Jerry Flint, DuPont Pioneer The 2016-2017 …
Supporting Future #Seed Researchers
The future of the seed industry is in good hands if the students who are attending this year’s American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting are any indication. ASTA has a strong interest in encouraging young people pursuing careers in the industry in a number of ways, from programs that mentor students to supporting the efforts of the American Seed …
#ASTAannual Honors #Seed Industry Legend
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) instituted a new award at the 133rd annual meeting in Portland, Oregon this year, the Lifetime Industry Achievement Award, and the first honoree is Dr. Owen Newlin, retired from DuPont Pioneer. Presenting the award, ASTA Chair Risa DeMasi called Newlin a legend in the industry. “When someone spends a lifetime, more than 50 years, …
Krysta Harden Keynotes #ASTAannual
Attendees of the American Seed Trade Association were privileged to hear, not just a great speaker, but someone who has a lot of experience in the agriculture industry. Krysta Harden recently made the move to chief sustainability officer at DuPont from her previous position as deputy secretary of the USDA. Her experience has taught her a thing or two about …
#ASTAannual Opening Reception Jam
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) got the ASTA-OSA Jam Band together for the opening reception, sponsored by Syngenta, at the 133rd annual convention in Portland, Oregon. The venue was historic Edgefield, built in 1911 as the county poor farm, now transformed into a neighborhood gathering spot with pubs, historic hotels, local artisans, and more. The band was put together …
#ASTAannual Gets Social
As the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) 133rd annual meeting kicked off in Portland, Oregon over the weekend, the Management Skills Committee focused on using social media to fight the spread of misinformation about agriculture and technology. Jim Schweigert, president of Wisconsin-based Gro Alliance, started off the social media session by presenting a montage of tweets and Facebook posts deriding …
Blazing Trails Theme for @Better_Seed Meeting
A trail blazing joint convention of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) with the Oregon Seed Association this year will highlight the diverse seed industry of the Beaver State. “Oregon is known as the cool season grass capitol of the world,” says ASTA Chair Risa DeMasi of Grassland Oregon, who will be hosting this year’s meeting. “Over 90 percent of …
BASF Opens New R&D Center
BASF has just opened a new Research and Development center at their Crop Protection headquarters in Limburgerhof, Germany. The new center offers research areas for biological crop protection and seed solutions, making it a hub of expertise for researchers and farmers world wide. “Our investment in this expanded capacity is a step forward to unlocking the agricultural potential in seeds …
Harden Announced as Keynote Speaker at ASTA Annual
The ASTAOregon Seed Association Annual Convention is coming up June 18-22. The event will be held in Portland, Oregon and will kick off with a keynote address from the Former Deputy Secretary of the USDA, Krysta Harden. Harden recently joined DuPont as the Vice President of Public Policy and Chief Sustainability Officer. She will be sharing lessons from her experiences …
Seeking Future Giant of the Seed Industry
Seed World and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Future Seed Executives are looking for those poised to make an impact on the seed industry. The Future Giant is an award given to an early-career individual who is passionate about the seed industry. The award will be given at ASTA’s Annual Convention, June 18-22 in Portland, Oregon. The winner will …