b'PRESIDENTS REPORT Presidents Report Ernest AllenISTA PresidentErnest Allen, addressing the audience as the new President at the 34th ISTA Congress in Christchurch, New ZealandMY JOURNEY WITH ISTAthe Nomenclature Committee, Chair of the ISTAEconomic Co-operation and Development, the BEGAN IN THE SUMMERRules Committee and Vice-President of ISTAInternational Seed Federation, and other seed OF 2014 at the Annualduring the Presidency of Keshavulu Kunusoth,associations and individual governments, among Meeting held in Edinburgh,all of which have allowed me to get a betterothers, to support our mission within theseUK. That well organised andunderstanding of how the Association works.focus regions.insightful meeting ignitedAs ISTA President (20252028), I plan to push my commitment to thisfor ISTA to expand its valuable knowledge and remarkable Association. Theexpertise outside of its current hubs in NorthI plan to push for ISTA to friendly environment, collaborative spirit, andAmerica and Europe, and focus more on Africa, wealth of seed knowledge and expertise that IAsia and Latin America. This focus will not onlyexpand its valuable knowledge experienced went beyond my expectations. Bymove ISTA forward in fulfilling one of the pillars the end of the meeting, I knew that I wantedof its mission, but it is also essential for ensuringand expertise outside of its to be part of ISTA. It embodies all the essentialthat billions of people have the basic tools and elements to fulfil its mission of establishinginformation they need to support sustainable global uniformity in seed testing while makingglobal food systems. ISTAs focus is not merelycurrent hubs in North America meaningful contributions to food securityaltruistic; strong seed systems in these areas worldwide. ISTA shares the goals that overlapwill create new trade markets and could have anand Europe, and focus morewith my responsibilities as Director of theexponentially positive impact on the availability Federal Laboratory in the USA. In that respect,of exotic varieties found on the shelves of groceryon Africa, Asia andmy link with the Association felt like a natural fit. stores within ISTA member countries. In the In the years since my first meeting, I have heldcoming years, ISTA will partner with the UnitedLatin America.Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, several roles within ISTA, including Vice-Chair ofthe Seed Schemes of the Organisation for 4 SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL www.seedtest.org'