Chicago, Illinois
September 25, 2008
Seed innovation and technology
plays a vital role in meeting the growing demand for food, feed,
fiber and fuel. Leaders in public and private sector seed
research came together today for the first American Seed
Research Summit held September 25-26 in Chicago. The U.S. seed
industry, universities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and National Science Foundation believe that the summit
will help address the various hurdles facing seed research -
training and education, funding, research trends, prioritization
and public-private partnerships.
The goal of the American Seed Research Summit is to bring
together research leaders from industry, academia and government
to identify major seed research challenges and to develop a
national strategy and action plan to solve those challenges.
Following the summit, the participants will continue to work
together to implement the action plan and promote both public
and private seed research agendas. Public-private partnerships
will advance seed technology and innovation by addressing these
challenges, as well as outlining the many opportunities for
coordination and collaboration for the best synergies in seed
research in the United States.
Sponsored by the American Seed
Trade Association (ASTA), the
American Seed
Research Foundation and the
National Council of Commercial Plant Breeders, over 40
representatives are in attendance at the two-day summit. Today's
keynote speakers from USDA's Agricultural Research Service, the
University of Wisconsin, Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, and
the Monsanto Company provided a snapshot of seed research today
and the potential for tomorrow. Breakout sessions allowed
participants to identify the key issues facing the seed industry
and possible strategies to address them, which will then be
discussed and prioritized by the group tomorrow.
"The progress at the summit today has been more than we could
have ever expected," said Andy LaVigne, ASTA president and CEO.
"The seed industry and our public sector partners are eager to
capture the exciting new possibilities seed research can offer
America's farmers and the world. This summit will be the first
step in developing jointly a way forward for both private and
public sectors to address any needs and gaps facing the industry
so that we can best capitalize on these great opportunities."
Founded in 1883, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA),
located in Alexandria, Va., is one of the oldest trade
organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of
about 750 companies involved in seed production and
distribution, plant breeding, and related industries in North
America. As an authority on plant germplasm, ASTA advocates
science and policy issues of industry importance. Its mission is
to enhance the development and free movement of quality seed
worldwide.
The American Seed Research Foundation, (ASRF), is an extension
of the activities of the former ASTA Seed Laboratory Committee,
which was active during the 1940s and 1950s. In 1959, the
American Seed Trade Association established ASRF as a tax
exempt, scientific, benevolent, and educational organization, to
raise and distribute funds for seed research. The mission of
ASRF is to encourage research in plant and seed biology and to
facilitate the transfer of resulting technology to benefit the
seed industry, farmers and consumers on a global basis.
The mission of the National Council of Commercial Plant Breeders
is to promote, technically and ethically, the interests of
professional U.S. plant breeders' worldwide. This includes
fostering collaboration and cooperation among plant breeding and
improvement organizations, encouraging public and private
funding for plant breeding research and development, recognizing
scientific achievement of plant breeders and supporting
effective systems of intellectual property protection. |
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