Patents for the very first ag biotech “events,” as they are called, will be expiring and becoming “generic” in 2015. This creates opportunities for growers and the seed industry, but also creates challenges that must be addressed – and that is the purpose of “The Accord”. American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Vice President for Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky …
BASF & Becker Underwood Join Forces at Seed Expo
It was just last week that BASF finalized the deal that brought Becker Underwood into The Chemical Company’s fold, just in time for them to hold a press briefing at the American Seed Trade Association CSS 2012 and Seed Expo to outline their plans for the future. Left to right, we heard from Scott Kay, BASF Canada Business Director; Peter …
International Seed Federation President on Issues
Tim Johnson of Illinois Foundation Seeds is currently serving aS president of the International Seed Federation (ISF). “The International Seed Federation has 80 countries that are involved,” Tim said. “What we do is promote movement of seed, protection of intellectual property (IP) rights, and support of companies moving seed globally.” IP was a big focus during a Chinese-American seed symposium …
MOU Importance for China and US Seed Companies
American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Chairman Blake Curtis calls the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the US and China seed organizations Monday “monumental.” “Everything has to start somewhere and this is a great start,” said Blake, with Curtis and Curtis Seed Company of New Mexico. “China is a very aggressive force in our world today and we’re …
US and China Seed Groups Sign MOU
Leaders from the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and the China National Seed Association (CNSA) signed an historic Memo of Understanding today to promote cooperation relating to innovation in the seed industry, said ASTA president Andrew W. LaVigne. “This agreement achieves two extremely important goals,” said LaVigne. “First, it is an important first step in providing new business opportunities for …
Syngenta Shares New Product Lines at NAFB
It was obvious Syngenta was excited to talk about all the new and innovative things they have going on in the soybean and corn labs at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s annual Trade Talk. I spoke with Scott Erickson, Soybean Genetics Portfolio Manager for Syngenta. He shared how they are tackling all the things that can rob yields …
Seed Shindig in Chicago
It’s all about the seed next week in Chicago at the CSS 2012 & Seed Expo. That’s short for the 67th annual Corn & Sorghum Conference, 42nd annual Soybean Seed Research Conference and 36th Seed Expo which will be held December 4-7 at the Hyatt Regency. American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Chairman Blake Curtis of New Mexico says this is …
BASF Closes Deal for Becker Underwood
BASF has completed its acquisition of seed treatment company Becker Underwood. BASF purchased Becker Underwood from Norwest Equity Partners for $1.02 billion (€785 million). With the acquisition, BASF is now a leading global provider of technologies for biological seed treatment as well as seed treatment colorants and polymers. BASF has also expanded its product portfolio in the areas of biological …
BASF Survey Reveals Sustainability Attitudes
BASF Crop Protection had great news to talk about with farm broadcasters at the NAFB meeting in Kansas City this week. According to a new BASF survey, a majority of consumers and growers agree that modern agriculture can achieve two critical goals simultaneously: Feed the world’s growing population while demonstrating responsible stewardship. More than 80 percent of the growers and …
Sightings Contest Launches FS InVISION Seed Corn
Shawn Kinkade of Piper City, Ill., was selected as the winner of a social media contest in which people reported sightings of the new FS InVISION™ logo. Kinkade’s photograph showed the logo prominently displayed on a fertilizer storage tank at the Heritage FS facility near Herscher, Ill. The contest was launched to raise awareness of the newly re-branded FS seed …