b'From Election Day toFarm and Lawn SeedThe American Seed Trade Association and the Western Seed Association teamed up on a virtual conference Nov. 3-4. Alex MartinON ELECTION DAYof 2020, the U.S. wasnt just abuzz about the electionit was also the general session of the American Seed Trade Associations (ASTA) Farm and Lawn Seed Division, in partnership with the Western Seed Association (WSA). Although I wish I could welcome you in-person at Kansas City, we are grateful that ASTA was able to continue on with their Farm and Lawn Seed Conference in a virtual setting, says Matt Fenske, current president of the WSA. Fenske joined the ASTA Farm and Lawn Seed Conference to highlight some things that the WSA had been working on over the last year, and his most important thing to highlight? Their scholarship funds. Since 2002, we have given away over $350,000 to 185 students pursuing a career in agriculture throughout the UnitedMatt Fenske is the current president of the Western Seed States, he says. I think we can all be proud of that as a member- Association.ship of the Western. It is a true testament to the support that we give. Not only do we get to enjoy that face to face time in Kansasappropriate way to calculate seed mixes, to attachment or con-City each year, but its nice to be able to give back to so many.nect them to the proper field specification needs, understanding The conference included a slew of speakers, includingthe seed analysis and making sure that our mixtures are properly Kevin Norton, acting chief of the USDA Natural Resourcesbalanced, Norton says. Were not all the way there yet, but Conservation Service (NRCS), Elizabeth Savory, program man- were working on bringing everything back into balance.ager of the Oregon Department of Agriculture and Ernst Allen,When it comes to opportunities that are the same as the director of USDA Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) Seedprevious year, Norton notes they have a number of mix calcula-Regulatory and Testing Division.tors within their agency, and theyre working to bring consist-ency together in states that have created their own calculators. NRCS Update In addition, he notes that theres still and will continue to be the 2020 has affected all areas of life, and the USDA NRCS was nochallenge around the pollinator seedings.exception. Norton reports that the NRCS had to adapt to newDue to the smaller increments of seeds that are needed to systems as wellincluding working remotely, keeping distancecreate that diversity of flowering material, there is a challenge, and driving to handoff materials such as contracts, agreementshe says. New things are becoming available, and were assessing and payments. However, that just means that the NRCS has totheir adaptability and then blending them into a mix in a way that continue to streamline and work harder.we produce quality habitat. Were moving forward and were shaping our program deliv- All-in-all, Norton says that the NRCS is in good shape.ery and our servicing of our customers around our new missionWeve filled all the critical vacancies, and were in really good and vision, Norton says, adding their new mission is to delivershapeprobably the best shape weve been in four to five years conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protectin terms of staffing, he says. natural resources and feed a growing world. We are full on working through the educational materialsOregon Kentucky 31and training with our field staff to make sure they understand theOver the last few years, one point of discussion has been the 20/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2021'