86 / SEEDWORLD.COM FEBRUARY 2019 SINCE1915 ThefirstissueofSeedWorldwaspublishedin1915.Heretheeditorswilltakeyoubackintimeto explorethenumbers,newsandissuesthatimpactedtheseedindustry—allcoveredbySeedWorld. 1915 1917 1920 1924 1925 1930 1935 1939 1940 1945 1950 1952 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1993 1995 2000 2002 2005 2010 2015 Scientists engineer a tomato to boost lycopene levels. This is the first food to be nutritionally improved with the help of biotechnology. The Food Production Act of 1917 establishes grade standards for potatoes, a first for fruits and vegetables. A MOMENT IN TIME This issue focuses on tomato seed production in Asia, specifically Taiwan. An interview with Leonard Ho, president of Taiwan’s Evergrow Seed Co. and Ace Seed Co., offers a glimpse at how tomato seed production in Asia had changed over the years. Taiwan had just two contract producers when Ace Seed Co. was formed. Later, foreign firms set up subsidiaries and more Taiwanese businesses went into production. This issue also features survey results showing that while vegetable seed retailers and wholesalers generally had good spring sales, environmental pressures were driving up seed production costs. Another hot topic in this issue is the spotlight on the “Five a Day” campaign designed to get Americans to eat 5 servings of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis. FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THIS 1993 ISSUE: 6,652 accessions are made in the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center genetic database in Taiwan. 79% of vegetable seed survey respond- ents say their company has changed production practices due to environmen- tal pressures. 3.5 servings of fruits and vegetables should be eaten, well below the recom- mended 5 servings per day. 40% increase of fruit and vegetable seed production is estimated if Americans eat 5 servings of fresh produce a day. $30,000 is the top end salary for an entry-level seed sales position. J.R. Magness and George Taylor invent a pressure tester to measure fruit ripeness. Federal Seed Act requires truthful labeling on vegetable seeds in interstate commerce and prohibits importation of low-quality seed. Tomato research begins to study the effect of chilling temperatures. The results led to the use of moderate temperatures in tomato transportation for improved ripening and less decay.