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 The mission of the
American Seed Trade Association is to be an effective voice of action in all
matters concerning the development, marketing and free movement
of seed, associated products and services throughout the world.
Being an effective voice is not simple. The free movement of
seed is affected by policy makers and regulators at the
international, national and state and local levels.
In the United States, the free
movement of seed is affected by decisions in more than ten
cabinet departments. Internationally, seed trade is affected by
many international entities including the
Convention on
Biodiversity (CBD), the Food and Agricultural Organization of
the United Nations (FAO), the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO)
among others. In addition, at the state and local levels,
initiatives affecting seed trade are becoming increasingly
numerous.
Adding to the complexity
resulting from the myriad of policies, regulations and treaties
at multiple levels are the multiple interests of companies in
the seed industry. ASTA members cover production practices and
technologies from organic to biotechnology, cover crops from
alfalfa to zucchini and, in company size, from small family-owned
businesses to multinational corporations. This diverse group is
bound together by common interests spanning such items as
intellectual property, a free market philosophy, phytosanitary
issues, seed laws, dispute settlement (arbitration), labeling
and liability among others. These are all bottom line issues.
Monitoring these
many issues and dealing with them at multiple levels is too much for one individual or
one
company to handle on their own – hence the reason for a trade
association. However, these issues are also too numerous for a trade
association staff to handle effectively by itself. It is
necessary therefore, that there be active involvement by
industry members in the policy and regulatory process for an
industry’s views to be reflected fully in decisions by policy
makers and regulators. Consider the cases below as examples of
how companies of all sizes have influenced outcomes that
increased the bottom lines not only for their business, but also
for the industry as a whole.
One of ASTA’s members personally
initiated and led an effort that, supported by ASTA, headed off
direct competition to seed companies from state agencies in
Iowa. Other individuals were involved in getting language
stricken from the Federal Highway Bill that would have codified
language on invasive species, specification of specific seed
types for highway right-of-way seeding, etc. - all of which would
have been detrimental for the seed industry.
The efforts of members of the
ASTA Organic Committee recently resulted in language being
reinstated into a National Organic Standards Board
recommendation to require organic certifiers to report
exceptions granted for the planting of non-organic seed. The
ASTA Environmental and Conservation Seed Committee is the result
of the efforts of members who saw a need for greater focus on
conservation seed issues. As a result of the initiative of
members of the Associates Division, the format and operation of
the Seed Expo in Chicago has been modified to make it a better
exposition for both members and exhibitors.
At the ASTA level, with member
support, changes were made in the 2002 Farm Bill implementation
of Counter Cyclical Payments that saved the seed industry
millions of dollars annually. New ASTA and International Seed
Federation Intellectual Property Position papers were adopted.
ISF arbitration rules were updated. ASTA established an
international arbitration chamber as a service to its members.
Legislation and regulations at the state level involving seed
labeling and liability have been resolved in several states. All
of these efforts were successful because of input from ASTA members.
The importance of involvement in
industry efforts was a theme echoed by speakers at the ASTA
annual convention in Seattle. Christine Todd Whitman, former
Governor of New Jersey and former Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, stressed the importance of the
role of associations such as ASTA in getting legislators and
regulators to focus on big and important issues affecting the
country, the economy and the industry. Bob Stallman stressed the
importance of the involvement of the agricultural community in
the regional and global trade negotiations and in the upcoming
farm bill.
Clearly, the number of issues
affecting our industry’s bottom line; the layered structure of
legislators and regulators at the local, state, national and
international levels; and opposition to the seed industry's
interests by some of its critics call for a strong and
coordinated advocacy by the seed industry. Such advocacy
requires involvement by companies and individuals who make up the industry.
Participation in efforts to
influence policies and regulations affecting the free movement
of seed and the bottom line of seed companies is not free. It
requires resources, particularly human capital. However, as the
2007 Farm Bill process has begun, as the WTO talks proceed
toward a conclusion, as globalization of the industry
accelerates and as the seed industry attracts the attention of
non-seed interests, both pro and con, the importance of a
unified seed industry voice increases. Thus, such resource
requirements should be considered an investment, not a cost.
It has been demonstrated
repeatedly that the gain from the involvement in the activities
that support not only individual, but also the broader industry
interests is huge. Getting involved in your trade association's
activities is certainly an investment
that pays. |
