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24IEUROPEANSEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COMtoparticipatethenameitselisinclusiveandopensupthedoortolargecorporationsmediumandsmallcompaniesorcommerciallaboratories.AnewandimportantbeneitintakingontheIndustrymembershipispartakinginanewbodytheIndustryAdvisoryGroupaorumthatwillbemadeupoupto15ISTAmembersandwillbechargedwiththetaskorepresentingtheindustrysinterestintheassociation.OneseatinthisgroupisreservedorarepresentativeotheInternationalSeedFederationISFandthersteightIndustryMemberswillautomaticallyhaveaplaceonthegroupaterISTAexecutivecommitteeapproval.Thisorumwillserveasacommunicationchanneltotheexecutivecommitteeandwillenableadirectdiscussionotheindustrieschallengesrequestsandpriorities.Onereasonwhythiscommunicationmaybeimportantisthatseedscienceandtestingdevelopmentsotenallbetweenthechairs.InmostseedcompaniestheRDdepartmentisocusedonbreedingandbiotechnologythesupplyorproductiondepartmentisalwaysworkingunderpressureandistoocostsensitivetoallowdevelopmentalworkthustheabilitytocommunicateanalyticalneedsandchallengestoISTAandprompttheassociationtosolvetheseanalyticalneedscanllthisgap.FurthermorethepotentialoharnessingthecommunalworkoISTAstechnicalcommitteestosolvetechnicalchallengesthatmoreotenthannotarenotuniquetoonecompanyrepresentsthemostecientandcost-eectivewayoaddressingtheseanalyticalneeds.Ieachcompanyweretotacklesuchchallengesindependentlyitwouldbeamuchmorecostlyeortthusinvestinginaseatatthetablemayyieldaveryhighreturnonarelativelysmallinvestment.ThereorethisneworumispotentiallythemostimportantbenetthattheIndustryMembershipcarries.Fromtheassociationssidetheadditionalundsthismembershipbringscanpotentiallybeusedinanumberobenecialwaysthatarenotcurrentlypossibleoronlypartiallyaddressed.Forexamplegrantsinsupportoseedscienceresearchsupportdevelopmentounderundedlabscreationoweb-basededucationsystemsorreeparticipationinISTAactivitiesormembersandstudents.LastlytheabilityoISTAtopromoteuniormityandstandardisationinseedtestingisaunctionoISTAsrecognition.EngagingasanIndustryMemberisanendorsementshowingtheindustryssupporttotheassociationandwhatitstandsor.ESTherewasasimilarmembershipcategoryinthepastbutthatdidnotworksowell.HowwasthatcategorydifferentfromthenewoneBKISTAhadintroducedCorporateMembershipin2007withoutmuchsuccess.Butotherthantheactthatbothcategoriesareintendedortheindustrythereisnocomparison.TheoldCorporateMembershipcategorywasmoreoapuresponsorshipopportunitythatdidnothaveanybenetsassociatedwithitandorsmallormediumcompanieswasmorescallydemanding.ESAreyouplanningtobecomeanIndustryMemberandwhatdoyouhopetogetoutofitEBBayerCropScienceiscommittedtoitscurrentISTAmembership.Oneoourtestinglabshasulllaboratorymembershipwithoutaccreditationandwealsohaveasizablenumberopersonalandassociatemembers.WearecurrentlylookingatouroverallglobalmembershipstrategytoseewhatandiIndustryMembershiptsourneedsandhowitwouldmakeadierentialimpact.BZMonsantoviewsthisnewmembershipcategoryasaninvitationbyISTAtoearnestlyreachoutandengagetheseedindustryandseekitsinputonissuesthatarevitaltoglobalseedtrade.ISTAtestingprotocolsareutilisedbymanycountriesasthebasisorseedimportrequirements.AsaglobalseedcompanyMonsantoisplanningtobecomeanISTAIndustryMembertosupportencourageandparticipateintheglobalharmonisationoseedtestingthatISTAprovides.BybecominganISTAIndustryMemberMonsantohopestoactivelyparticipateinthedynamicdiscussionandongoingdevelopmentoseedtestingmethodologyutilisedbybothregulatoryandprivatesectorlaboratoriesaroundtheworld.Ihopethisgivesusanopportunitytohelpinfuenceseedtestingrulesandintheutureassistwiththedevelopmentotheopportunityorallnon-governmentalISTAmemberstovoteonruleproposals.ForaglobalcompanytheIndustryMembershipisagreatopportunitytoharmoniseandcoordinatethemanyconnectionsandcontributionswehavewithISTA.ESLookingatthenearmid-termfuturewhatimportantISTAdevelopmentsareinthepipelinethatwillhaveanimpactontheseedindustryBKISTAhasanumberoprojectsthatareeitherinthedesignstageorunderway.TomentionaewThepoweroourassociationanditsabilitytodelivermoreservicesisderivedromthenumberoourmembersthereoregrowthisapriority.Eventhoughwehaveapresencein80countriesanddistincteconomieswestillcanreachmanymorelaboratoriesmanyotheselaboratoriesareindustryorcommerciallabs.ForthispurposeatthebeginningothisyearwehiredPierrickMarcouxwhowillheadISTAsmarketingeorts.MarcouxiscomingwithawealthomarketingexperienceandwilldirecthistalentandknowledgetopromoteISTAaroundtheworld.Oneotheareasinwhichweseepotentialorgrowthistheseedsectorthereoreindustryshouldexpecttoseeandhearmoreotheassociationoncethecampaignisunderway.ElectroniccerticateswearelookingatpossiblewaystodigitisetheISTAorangeandbluecerticates.Itishardtotellwhenthisinitiativewillmaterialiseasthereareanumberochallengesinprovidingthesamelevelosecuritytoelectronicdocumentsaswepresentlyhavewiththepaperdocumentsbuttherearesomeobvioustimegainsthatsuchatransitionwillbringandthesearchison.Web-basedworkshopsthiswasanideainitiatedbyRashaEl-Khademourormerheadotheaccreditationandtechnicaldepartment.Theinitialthoughtocusesonoeringqualityassuranceworkshops.ThisideaisyettobeapprovedbytheISTAexecutivecommittee.ESWouldyouliketoseemoreinvolvementoftheseedindustryandifyesonwhichtopicsorbywhomInotherwordshowcantheindustrysupportISTABKOneveryimportantplacethatweareentirelydependentonindustrysupportisprovidingseedsortheGMOtestingprociencytestPT.ThePTsareadministeredasblindteststhatiswearespikingconventionalseedwithpredeterminedpropositionsotransgenicseedoaparticulartypeandknownzygosityandthelaboratoriesneedtotestanddeterminethepresenceabsenceoGMseedqualitativetestsandortheidentityandleveloadventitiouspresenceoGMseedquantitativetests.Thesourceoseedespeciallytransgenicseedisromtheindustry.InthelastthreeyearswehavebeneitedromthegenerosityoBayerandMonsantohoweveritwillbeveryhelpuliwecanpartnerwithindustryandputinplacealong-termplanorthesupplyoseedorthispurpose.InthesameveinoccasionallytheProciencyTesttechnicalcommitteewhichisorganizingthebasicPTsalsoneedstoobtainseedromtheindustry.Anotherplacewherethereisroomorinvolvementisourtechnicalcommitteeswecurrentlyhavevacantspots.ForexampletheMoistureCommitteetheTetrazoliumCommitteeandtheNomenclatureCommitteeandsomeothershavejustoneortwospotsstillopen.TheonetechnicalcommitteethatisimportanttotheunctionoallothersandthereoreisatanygivenpointintimeoverloadedwithworkistheStatisticsCommittee.Wewelcomeandwillgreatlyappreciatemorestatisticianshelpingwiththiscommitteeandtheyareguaranteedasupplyointerestingtasks.Anybody