During the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum and Commodity Classic last week, Bayer was pleased to announced they have applied for EPA registration of ILeVO, the first seed treatment developed to address Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). “We’re anticipating federal registration fourth quarter of 2014 for planting in 2015,” said Seed Treatments Product Manager Dave Byrum. Jennifer Riggs, Bayer SeedGrowth …
BASF Helps Growers Plan for Success
Nobody in business plans for failure and farmers are no different. “We have to plan for success,” says BASF Technical Crop Production Specialist AJ Woodyard. “We have to take that mindset again this year of looking at what is my plan for success this growing season and how am I going to implement that strategy to best maximize yield on …
ASTA Takes Seed Theft Seriously
As the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) was concluding its annual seed research conference and trade show in Chicago last week, word came that arrests had been made in two separate conspiracies to steal seed and trade secrets of U.S. companies. ASTA president and CEO Andy LaVigne says they were pleased that the U.S. government took swift action on a …
BASF Advanced Seed Enhancement is Global
At the ASTA CSS 2013 and Seed Expo last week, we heard about the BASF portfolio of Advanced Seed Enhancements including inoculants, colorants, and biological and chemical seed treatments. Much of this new portfolio comes from the BASF acquisition of Becker Underwood in late 2012, according to Alyson Emanuel, Vice President of Global Business Management for BASF Functional Crop Care. …
Nufarm Introduces Nuseed
During Nufarm’s recent farm media tour, the company highlighted Nuseed, a branch off the parent company. Chuck and Jody Heemstra, Red River Farm Network, met up with Tom Kroll, Product Manager in Seed Treatment for Nufarm. Tom works with products from the earliest idea of them all the way to market and helps with the technical aspects too. “Nuseed is …
International Seed Federation Update
Illinois Foundation Seeds president Tim Johnson is currently serving as the elected president of the International Seed Federation (ISF), which represents seed industry interests on a global level. Tim gave an ISF update during the first general session of the ASTA 2013 CSS last week, first pointing out to attendees that as members of the American Seed Trade Association they …
AgAccord is Complete
The big topic at last year’s ASTA CSS 2013 and Seed Expo was The Accord, which is an industry agreement developed to provide a mechanism to transition from proprietary biotech events to off-patent or generic biotech events. Just prior to the expo this year, the second part of what is now called the AgAccord was opened up for signature. That …
ASTA Chair Looks Ahead to Annual Meeting
Finally caught up with American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) chairman Craig Newman as I was heading out of the hotel to go home Friday morning so I caught a quick interview. Craig says the expo this year was great with a record number of exhibitors. “In fact, it’s just bulging,” he said. “Sometimes we think that the industry’s consolidating when …
ASTA CSS Session Focuses on Seed Treatment
The second general session of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo focused on seed treatments and pollinator health. Dr. Iain Kelly with Bayer CropScience focused on seed treatment and pollinator health. Declining pollinator health is currently attracting considerable scientific and media interest. A recent report summarizing the conclusions of USDA’s National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health outlined the various factors …
BASF’s Advanced Seed Enhancement Platform
At the ASTA CSS 2013 and Seed Expo this week we had the opportunity to learn more about BASF’s Advanced Seed Enhancement platform which includes a number of important products that can accomplish increased emergence and help farmers get more from every acre. Those products include Vault HP plus Integral for soybeans, Stamina F3 for cereals, and Flo Rite Plantability …