Andrew W. LaVigne, President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) today announced the addition of Dr. Bernice Slutsky as Vice President for Scientific and International Affairs.

"ASTA continues to play a vital role in the regulatory and policy development that impacts seed research, production and distribution at the state, national and international levels," said LaVigne. "The addition of Dr. Slutsky to our team brings strong expertise in the biotechnology and international arenas. This will prove to be a great benefit for ASTA's member companies."

Dr. Slutsky will join ASTA on April 3, 2006. She joins the association from the U.S. Department of Agriculture where she has served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture for Biotechnology since April 2004. In that capacity, she was responsible for coordinating USDA's policies and activities relating to agricultural biotechnology.

Prior to USDA, Slutsky was Assistant Vice President for International and Regulatory Affairs at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), where she was responsible for promoting science-based approaches to regulatory affairs in the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions. Before PhRMA, Dr. Slutsky was Senior Policy Advisor for the Foreign Agricultural Service at USDA and prior to that, she was a member of the Assistant Administrator's Biotechnology Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In both of these positions, Dr. Slutsky played an active role in a number of international forum addressing biotechnology, including US/EU bilateral initiatives, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Biosafety Protocol negotiations, and the Codex Alimentarius.

"I am very excited about joining the team at ASTA. The seed industry is facing many important international and emerging scientific issues. I look forward to working with the ASTA membership in taking advantage of the opportunities in these areas and ensuring that the interests of the seed industry are actively promoted," stated Slutsky.

"We are pleased to have Bernice as part of the ASTA organization," said Jim Tobin, ASTA Chairman and Director of Biotech Business Development with Monsanto. "Dr. Slutsky brings a wealth of experience and understanding of the scientific, regulatory and political issues facing the seed industry today and that experience will contribute to the leadership role ASTA continues to play on behalf of its member companies. We are very happy to have her on board."

Dr. Slutsky received her Ph.D. in biology from the University of Iowa and was a research assistant at the Plant Research Laboratories at Michigan State University and at Plant Genetic Systems, Gent, Belgium.

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 800 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.