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P O L I C Y A T R I P TO D.C . TO P U SH F O R P R O G R E S S June 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM THESTART REVOLUTIONHOW ROBERT FRALEY TRANSFORMED AN INDUSTRY. OF A New Broccoli Helps to Reduce Heart Disease TIPS to TALK with POLICYMAKERS Meet the Future Giants Explore How Companies Weigh the Risk of Launching New Technologies INSIDE the ISF WORLD SEED CONGRESS 2015 ROBERT FRALEY IHAVENODOUBTTHAT WECANMEETTHEFOOD SECURITYNEEDSOFTHE FUTURE.THECHALLENGE ISWILLWEBEABLE TOUSETHETOOLS AVAILABLE. The Green Coast Agriculture Program trains students and instructors in gardening as well as buying seeds and selling harvested crops in Kakata. Making a Difference Through Agriculture Green Coast Agriculture Program G-CAP Inc. is a Non-Governmental Organization Comprised of professional young people. To learn more about G-CAP Inc. email greenagriculturecoastyahoo.com SEEDWORLD.COM P O L I C Y A T R I P TO D.C . TO P U SH F O R P R O G R E S S June 2015 ITSSAFEIKNOWTHE METHODOLOGYVERYWELL. ITSANATURALPROCESS THATHASGONEONFOR CENTURIESANDWEVEJUST COPIEDTHATPROCESS. MARY-DELLCHILTON THESTARTOFA REVOLUTIONHOW MARY-DELL CHILTON TRANSFORMED AN INDUSTRY. New Broccoli Helps to Reduce Heart Disease TIPS to TALK with POLICYMAKERS Meet the Future Giants Explore How Companies Weigh the Risk of Launching New Technologies INSIDE the ISF WORLD SEED CONGRESS 2015 www.independentseeds.com JANUARY 11-13 2016 ST.LOUIS MISSOURI For more information visit JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 1 CONTENTSJUNE2015 12 Tips to Talk to Policymakers This how-to guide provides a short list of dos and donts when on Capitol Hill. The Future is in Good Hands Meet four outstanding early- career individuals who show exceptional leadership and are dedicated to the seed industry. Living in a Post-Patent World University breeders work to ensure farmers have more choice. Help the FBI A few company policies can go a long way in helping to thwart economic espionage. Biofortified Foods These healthier foods are getting their start in new markets. The Start of a Revolution Seed World identifies the industrys most transformational people. Demand Grows for Pulses Gluten-free and easily consumed pulse crops get the spotlight. Features 06 10 12 16 18 24 38 18 24 We have a lot of challenges but the role of ISF is to turn these challenges into opportunities. Michael Keller 2 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 CONTENTSJUNE2015 In Every Issue Launching the Traits of Tomorrow Companies juggle rigorous requirements to deliver new products to the market. Plantings for Pollinators New and old initiatives encourage the planting of pollinator gardens. Beginners Guide to Moving Seed Experts offer their best advice for those looking to export seed. Highlights from the World Seed Congress If you didnt make it to Poland check out our Cliffs Notes. Sourcing Organic Seed ASTAs Organic Committee seeks to connect growers with organic seed. Features continued 42 48 50 56 62 Strategy Companies introduce new tools to help fight weeds. Research Showcase Regulatory Roundup Cross Pollination World Status Industry News Since 1915 34 64 68 70 72 74 78 Columns 46 80 International Agricultural Development Dennis Thompson highlights seeds ability to provide lifes necessities. Giant Views This industry veteran calls on the industry to elevate the value of grasses. Photography by David Cerven Studio Altius Responsible for breakthrough research in the development of transgenic crops Mary-Dell Chilton and Robb Fraley share the stage on this double cover. Be sure to check out the full story on page 24 where we continue our series in recognizing the seed industrys 100 most transformational people. On the Cover WEBWHERE ONTHE For bonus content and more information on these issues check out SeedWorld.com. Here youll find videos extra photos and charts and notes from our journalists. Below are just a few highlights from this issue SeedWorld.comGiantViews Watch our latest Giant Views of the Industry interviews as we sit down with a number of industry leaders at the International Seed Federations 2015 World Seed Congress in Krakw Poland. HarvestPlus.org Discover more about the organization that is working to increase the number of biofortified crops on the market. IndieGoGo.com If you want to support filmmaker Conrad Weaver in his efforts to produce Thirsty Land a documentary that sets out to the tell the story of drought its impact on agriculture communities and the global food supply check out this website. Once you get there just type Thirsty Land into the search bar. His goal is to raise 25000. FBI.govcontact-usfield If you have knowledge that might be helpful to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation please contact the local FBI strategic partnership coordinator. 56 Buckhorn offers an unmatched selection of reusable packaging solutions designed to protect your products and increase your profitability. Buckhorns CenterFlow seed box is the safest most efficient way to transport and dispense all kinds of seed. It stacks four high handles loads up to 2500 lbs. and dispenses seed quickly - in as fast as 30 seconds. Visit buckhorninc.com for more information and request a quote today US 1.800.543.4454 Canada 1.800.461.7579 www.buckhorninc.com 2014 BuckhornMyers Industries Inc. 040512 BULK BOXES HAND-HELD CONTAINERS IBCs PALLETS SPECIALTY BOXES 4 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 JUNE 2015 THE INKERS MAIN OFFICE 1395-A S. Columbia Road PMB 360 Grand Forks ND 58201-9907 SUBSCRIPTIONS Seed World is published six times a year. North American subscription rates are one year USD 70 two years USD 120. The international rate for one year is USD 200. To subscribe please email subscribeissuesink.com. WANT MORE SEED WORLD Follow us online at facebook.comSeedWorld twitter.comseedworldmag SeedWorld.com 100YearsOfGrowth.com CONTRIBUTORS Adam Gaspar Lisa Kopochinski David Pearl Melissa Shipman Dennis Thompson Megan Townsend Brian Wallheimer EDITORIAL BOARD R.B. Halaby AgriCapital Betty Jones-Bliss Purdue University John Schoenecker HM.CLAUSE Jim Schweigert Gro Alliance Tom Wiltrout Dow AgroSciences Karen Withers Pennington Seed Please recycle where facilities exist. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States. Q. HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED IN HELPING TO SHAPE POLICY 1. Two key ways I try to stay on top of new developments while sharing opinions and challenging the status quo. 2. I provide information about the policies in place those coming down the pipeline and what it could mean. I also participate in capitol visits. 3. I try to educate others about science. Policy is ultimately shaped by the public and good policy is based on sound science. 4. I do what I can to spread the word among those who are not knowledgeable of humankinds greatest achievement. If anyone is uninformed or misinformed it is not his or her fault. It is my fault. 5. I get involved by becoming knowledgeable on matters and sharing information with others in a friendly non- aggressive way. PUBLISHER Shawn Brook sbrookissuesink.com EDITOR Julie Deering jdeeringissuesink.com STAFF EDITORS Mark Halsall Lindsay Hoffman Shannon Schindle Marc Zienkiewicz MARKETING Craig Armstrong carmstrongissuesink.com Brenda Ezinicki bezinickiissuesink.com Sam Mostafa smostafaissuesink.com Hiten Shah hshahissuesink.com CREATIVE Theresa Kurjewicz Lesley Nakonechny DIGITAL Nick Buhr Kyle Dratowany Jill Hollosi Caleb MacDonald Ashley-Anne Schmidt Lynne Roy CIRCULATION Dean French dfrenchissuesink.com Designed to set the standard for plant growth the Percival LED Series offers research chambers that allow for specific control over the one research variable that has eluded precision light MULTI-SPECTRUM LAMP BANK The LED Series provides the correct spectral quality at the correct irradiance with exceptional environmental control every time Helping You Create Better Science www.percival-scientific.com Featuring LED Multi-Spectrum Lamp Bank LEDLEDLEDLEDLEDSeries THE 6 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 AS THE POPULATION grows each year the agriculture industry is faced with the difficult task of meeting the demand for more food fiber and fuel. Working with policymakers is critical to ensuring the future of the industry. Its important to be active in the process says Pat Miller director of state affairs for the American Seed Trade Association ASTA. This is how we address issues and solve problems. Every citizen needs to be a part of that community. ASTA is hosting a Storm the Hill event as part of its Annual Convention held June 17-20 in Washington D.C. Jane DeMarchi ASTA vice president of govern- ment affairs says the event is great for first-timers or seasoned advocates. The association provides talking points and handouts. Its a terrific opportunity she says. Its great to go into a meeting with others who share your vision. It strengthens the message. When you meet with a legislator experts agree its important to remember the following tips 1. Be prepared. Spend some time before the meeting to ensure you know the information youre presenting. Have the information ready to go you want to be respectful of their time says John Latham president of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds Inc. in Alexander Iowa. Latham also serves as an ASTA regional vice president and chairman of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee and has many years of experience working with policymakers. 2. Make a connection. Its not just about the hard facts Latham says. You need to tell your story. Its easier to make an impres- sion on someone if you have something in common. DeMarchi says even if you only have a few minutes build yourself up as a source of information they can return to in the future. She suggests questions about hometowns colleges and past industry experience to find a connection. 3. Be brief. Now isnt the time for long introductions and lots of specific details. On the hill things change really fast so be flexible and have your elevator speech down Latham says. Most of the time meetings on Capitol Hill last between 15 and 20 minutes. Meetings with a govern- ment official can last 45 minutes. After about 20 min- utes youll start to lose some attention Miller says. You also shouldnt try to cover all the issues in one meeting. Its best to choose two or three key topics. 4. Ask questions. You want to leave openings in your conversation for questions and discussion. This allows you to see exactly what each senator or representative is most interested in. Make sure you arent just repeating a speech. Let the meeting be a conversation Latham says. 5. Follow up effectively. One visit is good but there is follow-up involved Miller adds. Always send a thank you note even if just by email. You want them to remember your meeting for the next time an issue comes up. Leaving behind information is a good strategy but keep it brief. Dont hand them a five-page document he says. Miller also recommends getting to know any local staff and checking in every few months. Keeping the above to-dos in mind will help to ensure that you have successful meetings when on Capitol Hill or even when meeting with your state policymakers. While there are many items to remember there are also a couple things to avoid at these meetings 1. Dont be intimidated. The most important thing is to remember they are just people Miller says. They are your neighbors and they want to see you as much as you want to see them. He encourages first-time advocates to keep in mind that legislators are in office because of and for you. They are there to listen to you and they are always looking for good information Miller adds. 2. Dont take disagreement personally. If youre speaking with someone who doesnt share your Practicing Politics Brush Up Your Skills with this How-to Guide for Talking with Policymakers. Melissa Shipman TIPS AT A GLANCE 1. Be prepared. 2. Make a connection. 3. Be brief. 4. Ask questions. 5. Follow up effectively. THINGS TO AVOID 1. Dont be intimidated. 2. Dont take disagreement personally. 3. Dont ramble. 4. Dont assume everyone is an expert. 5. Dont have unreasonable expectations. Bridging the information gap between the dealer and the seed company eSMS is an enterprise cloud based sales management system that provides seed companies and dealer networks with live actionable sales customer and inventory information to drive increased productivity sales revenue and profitability. For dealers requiring a single user license try our new SMS Pro system. Our systems give you everything you need to gain an edge over your competition Sales force collaboration and management Accurate inventory reporting Electronic order submission One click customer invoicing And so much more. Discover the benefits of eSMS and SMS Pro today Learn more or request your FREE 30 day trial. Call 1-507-697-0617 Email salesagri-ware.com www.agri-ware.cominfo eSMS has completely changed the way I run my seed operation. I now have more time to spend with customers closing new business 8 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 ideas its best to make your point calmly and succinctly and then move on. Never threaten or demand Miller says. Its okay to agree to disagree. 3. Dont ramble. DeMarchi says its important to be direct and not hint around at what you want. Make the sale she says. If theres a specific ask for your company or organi- zation make sure you ask it. Be direct. The worst thing that can happen is that theyll say no. 4. Dont assume that everyone is an expert. Remember you know more about the issue than the politician youre meeting with. Also you might not meet directly with the congressman or woman and some staffers could be inexperienced. Sometimes you have to give them a little background information about the issue and where youre coming from but they are interested and willing to learn Latham says. At the state level youre more likely to get a meeting with the legislator but Miller says speaking with staff is just as beneficial. I never have reservations about speaking to a staffer he says. They are very competent. 5. Dont have unreasonable expectations. Its rare youll get a firm commitment and thats okay. Most leg- islation takes years to complete. The most important thing that can come from a meeting like this is to become a reputable source of information DeMarchi says. You want to develop an ongoing partnership. The exact strategy for speaking with state and national poli- cymakers differs slightly depending on the situation. For exam- ple your attitude and actions during a pre-arranged meeting on Capitol Hill will be much different than if you happen to catch a few minutes with a senator at a coffee shop or fundraising event. In a casual situation the best thing you can do is ask ques- tions and try and make that personal connection Latham says. No matter the environment honesty and professionalism are key. It is also important to choose topics that impact you directly and that you are passionate and knowledgeable about. Some of the biggest issues currently facing the industry include the GMO labeling bill international trade intellectual property rights as well as conservation programs and concerns about the health of pollinators. Latham says now is the time to get involved. Its probably more important now than ever for all of us in the seed industry to tell our story because if we dont the opposition will Latham explains. SW John Latham is president of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds. Jane DeMarchi is vice president of government affairs for the American Seed Trade Association. 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Plus our seed coatings are fully compatible with all kinds of machines and methods commonly used in the seed enhancement industry. SeedKOTE - Visibly Different for Visible Results. 10 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 EARLY CAREER individuals are not only working closely with seasoned veterans to learn about the issues and what has and hasnt worked in the past but are paving their own path with a drive that could only come from a true passion for agriculture and the seed industry. Seed World in part- nership with the American Seed Trade Associations Future Seed Executives will honor one of these outstanding leaders as a Future Giant at ASTAs 132nd Annual Convention in Washington D.C. Regardless of who takes home the award its clear the future of the seed industry is in good hands. Meet Jamey Albrecht Leading Mycogen Seeds forage seed business Jamey Albrecht is responsible for strategically aligning products resources and investments to grow the com- panys silage and forage portfo- lios. She also develops multi-year product portfolio plans including product advancement and fore- casting and creates resources to bring value to seed products from planting through feeding. A 2009 Purdue University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural econom- ics this Indiana native found her niche in the seed industry through her love of livestock. She attended junior college at Black Hawk College in Kewanee Illinois. Albrecht actively seeks out professional development oppor- tunities. Aissa Good senior project manager for the Purdues Center for Food and Agricultural Business says during the past few years she has been actively pursuing professional growth opportunities through educational programs offered by the center. These include the ASTA Management Academy and the Seed Leadership program. These coupled with her career at Mycogen Seeds are a great example of her commit- ment to the industry and desire to deepen her knowledge and expand her skills Good says. In her position at Mycogen Rick Henley corn business lead for Dow AgroSciences North America says that she is a person who thinks about what comes next how that can separate us from the rest and what has to be done to see that through to the next phase and then she plans for implementation which is the hardest step. Albrecht started at Mycogen in 2009 as a sales representative in Washington and Oregon where she established the Mycogen brand in a new geography. In less than three years she grew the business from less than 500 bags to 10000 through her service to dairymen from planting to har- vest. This earned her the title of Mycogen Seeds Rookie of the Year in 2011. Then in 2013 she moved to Indianapolis as corn product manager and transitioned to her current role in September 2014. Albrecht is also a member of the National Agri-Marketing Association and in 2012 was an honorary member of the Washington State University Dairy Club. Meet Andrew Ferrel An agronomist by trade but a leader by nature Andrew Ferrel takes the initiative to go the extra mile for customers of Mycogen Seeds a part of Dow AgroSciences. Ferrel earned a bachelors degree in crop and soil management and a masters degree in soil fertility and plant nutrition from Purdue University in 2010 and 2012 respectively. Since then hes been serving as a commercial agronomist for Mycogen Seeds in Coatesville Indiana. In this role he serves as the primary field contact for technical agronomy support serving cus- tomers across the state. Hes also responsible for coordinating plot planning and data management for the seed sales team and supportive dealers. Additionally Ferrel provides agronomy training for the develop- ment and continuing education of company personnel its network. His direct supervisor Mark Riehl Eastern Regional agronomy leader says that Ferrel is always excited to discuss agronomic situations. Hes created a biweekly newsletter of local agronomic information for sales reps dealers and grower cus- tomers in his area Riehl explains. This along with other educational materials hes developed have been so successful weve transferred the learning to other districts and teams to implement. Ferrel has also showed leader- ship through his volunteer work for the agriculture department and FFA chapter at Lebanon Senior High School in Lebanon Indiana. In describing a recent interaction with Ferrel Kristen Scott Lebanon High School agricultural science and business teacher says he worked one-on-one with students to evalu- ate the studies they had conducted while offering his own knowledge and expertise to help them improve their projects or encourage them to dig deeper into their study. While in school Ferrel interned for two summers with DuPont Pioneer and AgReliant Genetics. His goal to become the agronomist in Indiana. A passion for agriculture and the seed industry drive success. Julie Deering The Future is in Good Hands Jamey Albrecht of Greensburg Indiana leads the Mycogen Seeds forage business. Andrew Ferrel of Coatesville Indiana serves as a commercial agronomist for Mycogen Seeds Agronomy Services team. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 11 ernstseed.com salesernstseed.com 800-873-3321 Native seeds for Pollinator Habitat Restoration Reclamation Sustainable Landscapes Conservation Biomass Meet Gabriel Flick Hailing from Caldwell Idaho Gabriel Flick plans to one day own his own seed company and hes been laying the groundwork to make that dream a real- ity. Flick earned his bachelors degree in agronomy from Iowa State University in 2011. Currently hes working to complete his masters in crops and soil science at Oregon State University. For his graduate student project Flick is conducting research on post-harvest management of seed and volunteer plants related to Brassica seed produc- tion in the Willamette Valley. Gabe is an exceptional student as shown in his aca- demic record says Carol Mallory-Smith a professor of weed science at Oregon State University and Flicks graduate advi- sor. In addition Gabe is easy to work with and gets along well with other members of the Weed Science Group. He is a natu- ral leader and students gravitate to him. Flick an agricultural enthusiast just started a farm and provides custom seed harvesting services for local growers. In 2009 Flick got his first intern- ship with a seed company Rogers Seed Company as a production intern in Nampa Idaho. From there his interest in the seed industry has only grown. He also completed an internship with Nunhems USA as a production technician and from 2011 to 2013 served as production man- ager for Dorsing Seeds Inc. Gabe believes with good communica- tion that he will be able to help provide sustainable ecology by discussing options with farmers to fulfill their needs as well as the production companies and market place requirements and demands says Nancy Aerni vice president of Turf Merchants Inc. who first met Flick during a scholarship interview and has since kept in touch. Hes one of those diamonds you find very few of out there in our world. Flicks goal to one day own his own seed company. Meet Samantha Sisk Corporate communications manager for AgReliant Genetics LLC Samantha Sisk has turned the companys limited communications reach into a seamless strategy integrating all aspects of the company according to Thomas Koch of AgReliant Genetics. A 2010 graduate of Purdue Universitys agricultural commu- nications program Sisk has been nothing but tenacious in her involvement at the local state and national levels. She is active in the American Seed Trade Associations Communications Committee and the Future Seed Executives program. Shes also served on the Indiana Crop Improvement Associations Corn Belt Conference Planning Committee the National FFA Career Development Event Committee is a member of the National Agri-Marketing Association and volunteered as a Mini 4-H Club co-leader in Hamilton County. Additionally Sisk is pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a sales management concentration at Ball State University. Samanthas job performance has driven the respect others have for her Koch says. In her role she must work with all six brands of AgReliant as well as the production and research departments. Her position is one of the most cross-departmental with all departments calling her one of their own. Katherine Mayberry general counsel for AgReliant Genetics says that when Sisk is heading projects she is able to make valuable individual contributions and bring out the best in others while keeping the team focused and productive. Additionally assistant director of Academic Programs for Purdues College of Agriculture Tracie Egger writes Samanthas talent to connect with people to help them succeed her knowl- edge of communication and public relations aspect of the industry and her dedication to AgReliant Genetics are key rea- sons why she is able to frequently contribute significantly to the overall success of the seed industry. SW Gabriel Flick of Corvallis Oregon is works to complete his masters in crops and soil science at Oregon State University. Samantha Sisk of Indianapolis Indiana serves as AgReliant Genetics LLC corporate communications manager. 12 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 J UST THIS PAST March the first major biotech trait came off patent and the possibility of so-called generic biotech seeds became a reality. In preparation the American Seed Trade Association and the Biotech Industry Organization BIO partnered to develop the AgAccord a framework of agreements meant to keep stability for growers and markets as biotech trait patents expire. Its comprised of the Generic Event Marketability and Access Agreement GEMAA and the Data Use and Compensation Agreement DUCA. The agreements make clear a number of issues that would otherwise cause confusion or uncertainty for agriculture stake- holders. In particular GEMAA and DUCA spell out who will maintain international regulatory approvals for a technology once its patents expire allowing continued trade with countries that regulate genetically modified organisms. They also allow access to off-patent events provide continued stewardship of the events and set up a negotiation process that facilitates sharing of technology. The reason we came forward with the GEMAA and DUCA was to provide certainty going forward says Matt OMara BIO managing director for food and agriculture. We looked at this as an across-the-board way of addressing all products coming off patent. GEMAA and DUCA GEMAA which went into effect in 2012 has 10 companies that have signed on to it. Under the agreement patent holders must give notice three years before a final patent on a particular technology is set to expire provide access to the event upon patent expiration and decide how international regulatory responsibilities for the tech- Seed World examines the future viability of generic seed in a post-patent world. Brian Wallheimer University Breeders Work to Ensure Choice The next wave of biotech trait patent expirations is expected around 2020 which means theres time to make changes to the system if necessary. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 13 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K SeedWorld_Pinnacle.pdf 1 3315 1038 AM nology will be maintained after patent expiration. The patent holder may bear the cost itself partner with others to share those costs or discontinue its regulatory responsibility. Maintaining those approvals which can cost millions of dol- lars means that international markets such as China and the European Union would still be open for those selling soybeans produced from seed with the trait. For Monsantos now-expired Roundup Ready trait soybeans the company elected to maintain regulatory approvals until 2021. We wanted to ensure U.S. soybean growers have trade opportunities for the products theyre growing says Norm Sissons U.S. soybean product management lead for Monsanto. Its about being good stewards of the technology. If we want growers to adopt our technol- ogy we have to show were good stewards of that technology. Sissons and the company have not said whether Monsanto would continue upkeep of regu- latory approvals after that time but Monsanto has stopped using the technology in its research and development and has moved on to new traits that are said to produce more protection and better yields. DUCA is similar to GEMAA except that it allows for com- pensation to trait providers for access to proprietary regulatory property at the time of patent expiration. To date DUCA has not had enough signatories to go into effect. New Products With the AgAccord clearing up much of the uncertainty around biotech traits coming off patent the big question has been about whether there will be a market for so-called generic seeds. Already universities and breeders are making use of the first-generation Roundup Ready trait and testing the market. This has always been the big question will there be demand OMara says. Were just beginning to see that there is some. Back in December the University of Arkansas released UA 5414RR a public generic soybean variety using the first generation Roundup Ready trait. University soybean breeder Pengyin Chen says the first batch of seed about 1800 to 2000 units is already gone. It was sold very quickly once the word went out Chen shares. Chens variety comes without the technology fees associated with patented seeds. Additionally growers can save the seeds obtained from their harvest to plant in later seasons which is not permitted when planting patented seeds. But Chen says Arkansas soybean seed yields about 7 percent less than newer generations of Roundup Ready soybeans. Its not going to take a lot of market share because it doesnt yield as well Chen says. But he cant argue with how quickly the first batch of seed sold. Some farmers like the idea that they dont have to pay more for Roundup Ready technology generation two Chen says. Whatever the market demands is what we should provide. That yield drag is the reason leaders at Monsanto believe most breeders will be ready to move on from the first-genera- tion technology. Typically you dont see companies working with old tech- nology Sissons explains. Theyre looking to bring new tech- nology with new benefits to growers. It would be kind of like saying I have an iPhone 3 and do I want to develop under that Its about being good stewards of the technology. If we want growers to adopt our technology we have to show were good stewards of that technology. Norm Sissons 14 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 ELECTRONIC BAGGING SCALES BAGGING SOLUTIONS FOR THE SEED INDUSTRY A leader in the design and manufacture of packaging automation systems and equipment. Established 1969. Robotic Seed Box Denesting System. 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THEORIGINAL Toll Free 888.882.9567 Phone 620.421.5550 Fax 620.421.5531 2205 Jothi Ave. Parsons Kansas 67357 Visit our new website at www.taylorproducts.com technology Is it going to be around in the next 10 years Or do you want to work with the iPhone 6 technology Sissons points to the yield benefits of newer Roundup technologies which he says are about four bushels per acre or about 35 to 40 per acre depending on commodity prices. Thats pretty close to a bag of seed Sissons says. A test of the market already happened in Canada. There the same soybean trait lost patent protection in 2011. Monsanto Canada spokeswoman Trish Jordan says most licensees of the first-generation of Roundup Ready soybean technology moved on once the patent expired. We were pleased that most of them transitioned to the new technology Jordan says. It makes sense for their own busi- ness but we left that choice completely up to them. Thats about what Patty Townsend CEO of the Canadian Seed Trade Association expected. Farmers here are really eager to pick up new technology she says. If theres a technology out there thats better theyre not necessarily willing to stick with old technology. For many farmers its all about economics. If the lower cost of seed allows them to absorb that yield loss theyre listening. The new varieties that companies are coming out with will be better than older ones says Ron Moore who farms near Roseville Illinois. But farmers are always looking for ways to lower input costs and this is one of them. Grover Shannon a breeder at the University of Missouris Delta Center is also developing soybean lines with the first- generation Roundup Ready trait. He says the technology is still We know well never compete with the technology of today but if we have something that yields well or can compete and save the farmer some money we wanted to do that. West Higgenbothom JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 15 good especially when breeders can use it in conjunction with other traits that specifically address concerns for particular regions. For instance in southeast Missouri Shannon says nem- atode pressure is high so hes working on lines that will include the off-patent Roundup Ready technology while addressing local pest and disease pressures. A lot of the seed distributors prefer you go to Roundup Ready 2 because they make more money Shannon says. Its natural. I just want the farmers to have the option. West Higgenbothom a farmer in Lee County Arkansas and chairman of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board says new generations of technology will be popular but there might be growers who want to try generic traits on some of their fields. Hes considering using generic Roundup Ready soybeans in the future but he wants to see how they perform. The board is sup- porting Chens work at the University of Arkansas. Seed used to be one of your lowest-cost inputs and now its one of the most expensive Higgenbothom says. We know well never compete with the technology of today but if we have something that yields well or can compete and save the farmer some money we wanted to do that. Not So Generic The most common misconception about the patent expiration of biotech traits is that all restrictions come off seeds contain- ing those traits. In Canada Monsantos patents for Roundup Ready first gen- eration soybeans expired in 2011 but it happened in the middle of a growing season. None of the seeds from those crops were able to be saved. Only seeds obtained from a 2012 crop containing an off-patent trait were saveable assuming there were no other contract restrictions imposed by the seed seller meaning 2013 was the first year a generic trait didnt violate Monsantos grower agreement and intellectual property law. Its important for farmers to know where their seed came from and whether the seed they bought came from patented seeds. If so the harvest from it cannot be saved for planting. Also seed containing a now-generic trait might be stacked with other still-patented traits or other protected intellectual property. Its no different than any other seed that a farmer buys says Bernice Slutsky ASTA senior vice president of domestic and international policy. In any seed there is likely some form of intellectual property that needs to be understood. Its important that farmers talk with seed brokers and sell- ers about the traits in the seed and what if any restrictions might be in place. As always relationships are key. It depends a lot on who the seed salesman is says Moore the Illinois farmer. If Ive got confidence in the salesmans ability to sell a low-priced quality seed I might buy it. The Future At the moment there are no more notices of patent expiration posted on the AgAccords website. OMara says the next big wave of biotech patent expirations is expected around 2020. This means there is time to see how this first trial balloon flies and what if any changes should be made for the future. SW www.biodiagnostics.net 715-426-0246 507 Highland Drive River Falls WI 54022 WHEN YOU VALUE ACCURACY ABOVE ALL ELSE Product integrity is the most important thing you can offer in todays ultra-competitive seed industry. Thats why our processes for delivering accurate data are unsurpassed whether you need to know about genetic and trait purity germination vigor seed treatment loading rates or adventitious presence. With proprietary services like the Super Cold Test and testing packages like Pure-Production BioDiagnostics delivers confidence efficiently and competitively for unmatched value. Put your seed testing concerns to rest. Contact us today. THERES NEVER A SEED OF DOUBT. www.biodiagnostics.net 715-426-0246 507 Highland Drive River Falls WI 54022 WHEN YOU VALUE ACCURACY ABOVE ALL ELSE Product integrity is the most important thing you can offer in todays ultra-competitive seed industry. Thats why our processes for delivering accurate data are unsurpassed whether you need to know about genetic and trait purity germination vigor seed treatment loading rates or adventitious presence. With proprietary services like the Super Cold Test and testing packages like Pure-Production BioDiagnostics delivers confidence efficiently and competitively for unmatched value. Put your seed testing concerns to rest. Contact us today. THERES NEVER A SEED OF DOUBT. www.biodiagnostics.net 715-426-0246 507 Highland Drive River Falls WI 54022 WHEN YOU VALUE ACCURACY ABOVE ALL ELSE Product integrity is the most important thing you can offer in todays ultra-competitive seed industry. Thats why our processes for delivering accurate data are unsurpassed whether you need to know about genetic and trait purity germination vigor seed treatment loading rates or adventitious presence. With proprietary services like the Super Cold Test and testing packages like Pure-Production BioDiagnostics delivers confidence efficiently and competitively for unmatched value. Put your seed testing concerns to rest. Contact us today. THERES NEVER A SEED OF DOUBT. www.biodiagnostics.net 715-426-0246 507 Highland Drive River Falls WI 54022 WHEN YOU VALUE ACCURACY ABOVE ALL ELSE Product integrity is the most important thing you can offer in todays ultra-competitive seed industry. Thats why our processes for delivering accurate data are unsurpassed whether you need to know about genetic and trait purity germination vigor seed treatment loading rates or adventitious presence. With proprietary services like the Super Cold Test and testing packages like Pure-Production BioDiagnostics delivers confidence efficiently and competitively for unmatched value. Put your seed testing concerns to rest. Contact us today. THERES NEVER A SEED OF DOUBT. 16 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 O FTEN TALKED ABOUT in private conversations and behind closed doors but kept out of the spotlight is the issue of economic espionage the second largest priority for the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation more com- monly known as the FBI. However the whispers surrounding this issue are being heard and the FBI is looking to partner with the seed industry to battle economic espionage. FBI agent Robert Spelbrink explains that economic espio- nage and trade secret theft against U.S. agricultural and biotech- nology companies and institutes are on the rise. Spelbrink says the FBI is working to foster partnerships with businesses academia and think tanks for better intelligence. There are 56 FBI field offices throughout the country and there should be at least one strategic partnership coordinator in each office he says noting that these coordinators can provide a vulnerability self-assessment tool threat awareness briefings brochures and other tools to assist companies. Investigators cannot act if they are not aware of the problem. Stolen trade secrets could lead to lost revenue lost employ- ment a damaged reputation a decrease in investment for research and development and the interruption of production. According to a handout distributed by the FBI companies at risk of economic espionage or theft of trade secrets have a technological edge and employees with access to it a process to manufacture an item at a lower cost than the competition and have been negotiating with another company especially foreign-based. To help combat economic espionage the FBI has a list of best management practices to help protect intellectual property. Spelbrink says company leadership should 1. Assess the companys information security vulnerabilities and fix or mitigate the risks associated with those vulnerabilities. 2. Clearly identify and safeguard critical information or intel- lectual property and mark it accordingly. 3. Not store proprietary information vital to the company on any device that connects to the Internet. 4. Use up-to-date software security tools. Many firewalls stop incoming threats but do not restrict outbound data. Competitive intelligence hackers try to retrieve data stored on the network. 5. Educate employees on spear phishing email tactics. Establish company protocols for reporting and quarantining suspicious emails. 6. Ensure employees are aware of and trained to avoid unin- tended disclosures. 7. Remind employees of security policies on a regular basis through active training and seminars. Use signs and computer banners to reinforce security policies. 8. Document employee education and all other measures you take to protect your intellectual property. 9. Ensure human resource policies that specifically enhance security and company policies are in place. Create clear incen- tives for adhering to company security policies. Thwart Trade Theft In recent years the U.S. seed industry has become a target for individuals andor organizations and governments looking to fast track progress or market share as it relates to agriculture. The FBI says you can help thwart economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. The FBI asks that if you or someone within your company can answer the following questions to please contact the local FBI strategic partnership coordinator or local FBI field office. What information and technology related to the agricultural and biotechnology industries are foreign competitors targeting from U.S. businesses academic and research entities What are technology gaps of foreign competitors Are they lacking research and development manufacturing production or operational capability How do U.S. agricultural companies collaborate with U.S. academic and government research entities What agricultural research at U.S. companies and academic institutes is supported by federal grants What agricultural research at U.S. academic and government entities is considered proprietary How do foreign competitors keep tabs on U.S. research activity and science experts at U.S. companies and academic institutes Which foreign competitors do U.S. companies find most aggressive in pursuing agricultural information and technology What kind of compromise and penetration activities related to theft of sensitive research and commercial business information have U.S. companies experienced during the past years SW The FBI Needs YOU Seed companies play a pivotal role in protecting against theft of trade secrets. Federal agents share a few things you can do to help. Julie Deering WHEREON THE WEB Check out the list of FBI field offices which is available online at www.fbi.govcontact-usfield. A CCORDING TO THE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 610000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year thats one of every four deaths. Its Americas biggest killer and a major impetus for bringing a new broccoli to the marketplace. In the early 1980s scientists found a wild broccoli variety that had the unique ability to naturally produce higher levels of a compound known as glucoraphanin. This wild variety was cross-pollinated with commercial broccoli and one of the selections became the parent of Benefort broccoli expected to arrive on the U.S. market in 2016. Each one-cup serving of Benefort broccoli con- tains two to three times the glucoraphanin compared to a serving of other leading commercial varieties of broccoli. Glucoraphanin is a phytonutrient that may reduce the risk of heart disease. The development and commercialization of Benefort broccoli is the result of a collaboration between Plant Bioscience Ltd. Seminis Vegetable Seeds and two of the United Kingdoms leading research institutes the Institute of Food Research and the John Innes Centre. We hope that by developing products with excel- lent sensory appeal people will enjoy eating more vegetables and reap the nutritional benefits that come along with increased consumption says Gene Mero a Monsanto broccoli breeder. After an initial trial launch in Sams Club stores across the U.S. the broccoli was successful enough for a widespread release planned for 2017. Its expected to be available in limited release for February of next year. The success of the product is proving how much value biofortification can have in the developed world and the concept has implications for other crops that Americans consume each day. Global Idea Biofortification the idea of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value has been researched for several years to help people in the developing world deal with the lack of vitamins and minerals in their diets. Last year the first vitamin A cassava shop was officially launched in Ibadan Nigeria to increase awareness of this new nutritious cassava variety. Cassava also known as tapioca is a major staple food in Nigeria. Its eaten daily by more than 100 million people but the commonly available white cassava lacks micronutrients such as vitamin A that are essential for a healthy and productive life. In March a study published in The Journal of Nutrition showed maize that has been conventionally bred to have higher zinc content can provide enough zinc for a growing child in the formative years. The study showed young Zambian children who ate the biofortified maize flour had higher zinc levels in their bodies. Globally more than 17 percent of the worlds population is at risk of zinc deficiency. COMING TO AMERICA MARC ZIENKIEWICZ has been a journalist and editor for 10 years. After serving as a managing editor for Canadas largest newspaper chain he transitioned to the ag publishing world. He enjoys writing about new technologies and how they impact seed. He lives in Lac du Bonnet Manitoba next to a field of soybeans on one side and cattle on the other. For more from Marc follow him on Twitter mzienkie. Biofortification of crops is often done for people in the developing world but the concept is now finding its niche in the United States. 18 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Benefort broccoli is the result of a collaboration between Plant Bioscience Ltd. the Monsanto-owned Seminis Vegetable Seeds and two of the United Kingdoms leading research institutes. PHOTO MONSANTO. The idea is to start addressing some of the vitamin and mineral deficiencies we see in the world by enhancing nutrient levels in those crops says Yassir Islam head of communications for HarvestPlus which works to end malnutrition in the developing world. It becomes a food-based approach where youre using food coming off the farm to provide people with nutri- tion as opposed to giving them supplements which can be expen- sive to purchase and a challenge to distribute. Biofortification is being done with many other crops eaten every day in the developing world including rice wheat beans millet and sweet potato. Malnutrition might not be an issue for most people in the devel- oped world but Islam says poor dietary choices and bad eating habits are something that biofortifi- cation can potentially help alleviate. It definitely has applications globally depending on the need youre trying to address Islam says. Improving Health Enter Benefort broccoli. According to broccoli breeder Mero Monsanto saw a place for the unique product in the U.S. market on both the farmer and consumer level. Our RD teams work to develop seeds that make growing vegetables easier for farmers while also meeting the demands from everyone else in the produce chain including retailers food service and consumers he says. The same line of thinking is what inspired Purdue University agronomy professor Torbert Rocheford to bring a new kind of corn to market in the United States. He helped identify a set of genes that can be used to naturally boost the provitamin A content of corn kernels a finding that could help combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. Researchers found gene variations that can be selected to change nutritionally poor white lem most severely affects children in sub-Saharan Africa an area in which white corn which has minimal amounts of provitamin A carotenoids is a dietary mainstay. Although it has major implications for those in the developing world Rocheford says the crop is slowly catching on in the United States as well insufficient carotenoids might also contribute to macular degen- eration in the elderly a leading cause of blindness in older populations. Originally we were breeding it for Africa but then an organic farmer in Missouri found out about it and was interested Rocheford says. So I sent him some corn and hes growing it. He believes that if orange JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 19 Relative percentages of glucoraphanin per serving of cruciferous vegetables including broccoli Each serving of Benefort broccoli naturally contains two to three times the phytonutrient glucoraphanin as compared to other leading commercial broccoli varieties grown under similar conditions. Cauliflower 1 Broccoli 100 Benefort Broccoli 270 corn into biofortified orange corn with high levels of provitamin A carotenoids substances that the human body can convert into vitamin A. Vitamin A plays key roles in eye health and the immune system as well as in the synthesis of certain hormones. Vitamin A deficiency causes blindness in 250000 to 500000 children every year half of whom die within a year of losing their eyesight according to the World Health Organization. The prob- Purdue University agronomy professor Torbert Rocheford helped identify a set of genes that can be used to naturally boost the provitamin A content of corn kernels a finding that could help combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. PHOTO PURDUE UNIVERSITY 20 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 corn catches on in America it might help to speed up its accept- ance in Africa. Its better for you than white corn and yellow corn he says. We are just getting started working with a small number of people to bring it to market in the United States. Im an optimist. Why shouldnt this be mainstream They eat orange corn in Thailand and northern Italy. We have docu- mented scientific evidence that its actually more flavorful. Mero says the same effect has been seen with Benefort broc- coli Tests have shown that people either cannot detect a different flavor or taste between Benefort and standard broccoli or prefer the flavor of Benefort. This is likely due to subtle changes in the levels of different sulphur compounds. According to Rocheford popu- larizing orange corn in America might create a ripple effect that speeds along its acceptance in Africa. My view was OK lets do Africa with orange corn and later well do America he explains. Now we might start growing this in the U.S. so we can help people in Africa who need it more than we do. Its a little backwards but it could lead to big things. Good for Growers As Mero notes whats good for consumers can also be good for growers and Islam agrees. Biofortification was once consid- ered impractical but thats turned out not to be the case at all. In the past the conventional wisdom from breeders at inter- national centers was if you try to increase these nutrients youll have a decline in yield Mero says. That was the assumption but it was soon discovered there wasnt a tradeoff that you could have both yield and more nutrition. Many of the nutrients were trying to increase like zinc are things that plants need anyway. When you increase the uptake of zinc from the soil by the plant it helps the plant to grow better and also benefits the consumer. Providing zinc through bioforti- fied wheat and rice could improve nutrition for millions of zinc-deficient people in South Asia Islam adds. Rocheford currently has an open pollinated variety of orange corn that yields 85 bushels per acre. Although it yields well he says the key to its success in America will be marketing it the right way. Were working with organic and local growers who can get a premium at local farmers markets if they have corn meal thats higher in antioxidants or provitamin A he says. We want to start small and build interest. At Kansas City farm- ers markets theyre very excited about it anything developed through traditional breeding as opposed to GM is attrac- tive. Theres a lot of psychology involved. Thats just how it goes. Monsanto has a few biofortified products in its pipeline. Examples include a high lycopene tomato and high lycopene cut-and-peel carrot. Lycopene is an antioxidant which some studies show might help reduce the risk of cancer. The majority of biofortified crops are created through tradi- tional breeding but some like provitamin A-enriched Golden Rice are created using GM technol- ogy. According to Islam sticking to traditional breeding helps speed acceptance of new crops in places such as Africa where GMOs have still not gained wide acceptance from a regulatory standpoint. Still Islam says genetic engi- neering will have its place in the future of biofortification. You see what you can do with conventional breeding and after that there are other technologies that can be used to get the kind of crop you want he says. SW Golden Rice is biofortified with beta-carotene which can help prevent blindness and death in children in the developing world. PHOTO IRRI. WHEREON THE WEB To learn more about the mission and work of HarvestPlus visit www.harvestplus.org. BIOFORTIFICATION TAKING OFF IN A SLEW Biofortification the idea of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value is being done in a slew of common crops to boost nutrient content. Besides corn cassava and broccoli here are some other foods getting a nutritional boost through biofortification. Iron Beans For more than 300 million people beans are an important part of the diet especially in regions of Africa and Central and South America. Iron deficiency during childhood and adolescence impairs physical growth and mental development. Iron Pearl Millet Pearl millet biofortified with iron will be targeted to those populations in India that rely on it as a staple food crop. There are spillover benefits to regions in Africa where pearl millet is also consumed on a smaller scale. Vitamin A Sweet Potato More than 95 percent of the worlds sweet potato crop is grown in developing countries. Children with vitamin A deficiency are at increased risk of severe morbidity from common childhood infections such as diarrheal diseases and measles. In cases of extreme deficiency children can go blind. Orange sweet potato is a rich source of beta-carotene. Eating orange sweet potato improves the vitamin A status of children. Zinc Wheat and Rice In South Asia where micronutrient deficiencies are widespread this major staple food crop is an ideal candidate for biofortification. Zinc is involved in more body functions than any other mineral. It is a component of more than 200 enzyme systems and required for normal growth and development. Source harvestplus.org. since 1900 Quality. 866.899.2518 - www.indianacrop.org866.899.2518 - www.indianacrop.org For over 100 years we have built a strong foundation by providing a sound scientific approach to testing. We are proud to be an ISO 90012008 certified organization.ISO 90012008 certified organization. From innovative genetics to the latest in molecular technology we have an uncompromising commitment to method validation and statistical integrity. We are proud to offer Seed Certification Field Inspection Services Identity Preservation IP Laboratory Testing Conventional Seed Tests Genetics andGenetics and Trait Testing Bioassay Herbicide Testing More Thorough. More Data. More Value. 24 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 PROGRESS AND CHANGE dont just happen. There are forces behind them and often times those forces are people who wont stand for the status quo. These individuals are passionate about a cause have an unwavering drive and seek solutions. Without these indi- viduals the world and the seed industry would be in a very different place than we are today. As an industry we owe a great deal of gratitude to the following individuals for their dedication to the industry and the resulting achievements. For they are responsible for revolutioniz- ing the industry be it through scientific advancement education leadership or policy. Mary-Dell Chilton Her work and drive is nothing short of amazing. Best known for producing the first transgenic plant in 1983 Mary-Dell Chiltons achievement has furthered the field of science and helped to propel the world of production agriculture forward by leaps and bounds. Today transgenic or biotech crops are grown on 448.5 million acres in 28 countries by more than 18 million farmers accord- ing to the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications and those numbers con- tinually increase. These numbers dont just benefit farmers they benefit consumers the environment and society as a whole. Transgenic crops allow farmers to grow more food without using more land. A FOUNDERSSERIES PART3OF6 The Start of a Revolution How Mary-Dell Chilton Robb Fraley and many others transformed an industry. Julie Deering Brian Wallheimer Marc Zienkiewicz The National Inventors Hall of Fame inducted Mary-Dell Chilton on May 5 as part of its 2015 class for her work on transgenic plants. 26 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 report from PG Economics shows that if crop biotechnology had not been availa- ble to the 18 million farmers who used the technology last year maintaining global production levels would have required additional plantings of more than 44 mil- lion acres. Through the years Chilton has received many accolades for her work including being named a 2013 World Food Prize winner. Most recently she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for patent No. 6051757 as part of the 2015 class. Those standing next to her included individuals responsible for the x-ray spectrometer graphical calcula- tor surgical needle and regenerated skin. Through the years she has authored more than 100 scientific publications. At the age of 76 Chilton shows no signs of slowing down. The scientists natural curi- osity about the world around her keeps her coming to the laboratory at Syngenta every day something shes been doing since 1983 when she started working for CIBA-Geigy a legacy company of Syngenta. Today Chiltons work focuses on gene targeting. Gene targeting means the ability or method of putting a package of genes into the plant chromosome in a place that you have predetermined Chilton explains. With present day technology the DNA goes random any place it wants to go. We would like to be able to put an address label on that DNA and send it to the same place every time. Chilton expects that by using this technology the gene expression will be more stable and more uniform over time. I think that will be of great value she says. The other reason for doing this is that we think the regulatory process will be more brief because you know a great deal more about the target site within the plant genome. Chilton recognizes that theres been a lot of debate about the safety and benefits of this technology. When asked why she believes transgenic plants and the fruits or products derived from them are safe she explains I know the methodology very well and what I know is that its a natural process that has gone on in nature for cen- turies. Weve just copied the process and do the same thing that a bacterium does in nature. So if its a natural process why should people be afraid of that Chiltons research didnt start with plants. She was interested in the bac- terium that infects plants. It was the bacterium that got me into plant science Chilton says. Plants just kind of hap- pened to me. The same can be said for science it came to Chilton naturally. She recalls her high school biology teacher telling her that she had scored so high on the sci- ence aptitude test that the text examiners had thought she cheated. He suggested based on that that I might want a career in science she adds. Looking back Chilton says her career in biotechnology has been an exciting journey. Im amazed to see the progress we have made over the years she says. My hope is that through discoveries like mine and the discoveries to follow we will be able to provide a brighter and better future for generations that follow us. Robb Fraley A familiar face within and outside of the seed industry Robb Fraley has chal- lenged himself to join public conversa- tions sometimes contentious about the very technology he helped to create. In 1983 Fraley along with Mary-Dell Chilton and Marc Van Montagu each conducted groundbreaking molecular research on how plant bacterium could be adapted as a tool to insert genes from another organism into plant cells which could produce new genetic lines with highly favorable traits. Thirteen years later Fraley helped to lead the successful commercial launches of the first genetically modified crops Roundup Ready soybeans and Bollgard insect-protected cotton. Today these crops are hailed by more than 18 mil- lion farmers in 28 countries as helping to improve productivity and ultimately their livelihoods. From 1996 to 2013 global farmer income gained from biotech crops was an estimated 133.5 billion according to PG Economics. Fraley who is from a small town in central Illinois has always been involved in agriculture and its something hes always been passionate about. Today Fraley serves as executive vice president and chief technology officer at Monsanto overseeing the companys global Robb Fraley serves as executive vice president and chief technology officer for Monsanto and is known for his work on commercializing biotech crops. Inspiring Innovation for Agriculture Visit www.cropsandchemicalsusa.com for more information about each track July 21-24 2015 Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh North Carolina USA 3 ways to register Online www.cropsandchemicalsusa.com Telephone 44 020 3377 3257 Email registrationsinforma-ls.com Quote CQ8194SEEDWORLD Sponsors Exhibitors AgrochemicalFormulation SeedTreatments Biopesticides BiostimulantsPlantGrowth Expert Speakers Include Pamela Marrone CEO Marrone Bio Innovations Sue Turner SVP Research Development BioConsortia Andrew Hewitt Professor The University of Queensland and The University of Nebraska Karn Manhas President Founder Terramera PlantScience Russell L. Jones Fellow Environmental Safety Bayer CropScience John M. Atkinson Lead Formulation Chemist Dow AgroSciences Pedro Coelho CEO Co-Founder Provivi Douglas Ry Wagner Chief Technology Officer Agrinos Dont miss 1 Location 4 Conference tracks 28 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 technology division which includes plant breeding plant biotechnology biologicals precision agriculture and crop protection. First of all this has got to be the most exciting time to be in agriculture he says. And I would argue probably the most important time. Its exciting from the point of view that we have so much opportu- nity for innovation. Today we are beginning to see brand new platforms with data science and the ability to map fields subdivide them into smaller segments and farm meter by meter to optimize our yields and produc- tivity. I believe that with the advances in biology and the advances in data science we will see another Green Revolution. Fraley says that as the world popula- tion grows to the 9.5 or 10 billion people that is expected by 2050 coupled with the increase in wealth accumulation especially in Asia and Africa that agricul- ture will need to double food production in the next 35 years. Thats an incredible challenge but with the right tools we can do it he says. I have no doubt that we can meet the food security needs of the future. And I actually think that as we improve yields and productivity by the time we reach 2050 well even have the opportunity to convert some of the lands that we farm today back into forests pastures and wetlands. We can be that efficient. The challenge is will we be able to use the tools available. To help ensure that agriculture and todays scientists can use the tools we have available Fraley has joined the dialogues discussing how todays food is produced. What Ive learned is that first you have to join the conversation he says. Food is a personal conversa- tion its important that peoples questions get answered. Thats why as an indus- try weve pulled together independent experts to answer peoples questions on GMOAnswers.com. I am personally very active on social media. In getting in to the mix he says its also important to understand that there are extreme voices on both sides of this debate. There are critics who will never like new ag technologies or GMOs and there are advocates. Theres also a group in the middle which probably comprises about 80 percent of the general public he says. These are the people interested in learning more about food how food is produced its nutritional value and affordability. Thats the group that we need to speak to he says. When I see us doing that we can change views we can change attitudes and people understand. The second lesson Fraley has come to learn in participating in these discussions is that science has to take a backseat. This is really about trust and establishing a connection and finding that common ground he says. Some people care about food nutrition and affordability for their families and thats a great conversa- tion. Some folks think about a growing world and feeding people who are not as fortunate who are hungry. Others focus on our growing global population and more people in the future and thats also a great basis for a conversation. Others really focus on the environment and how we can use technologies to minimize the impact that agriculture can have on the environment. What Ive found is that its important to establish that common ground. Then The 2013 World Food Prize was presented in Des Moines Iowa. Pictured left to right are M.S. Swaminathan the first World Food Prize laureate and now chair of the laureate selection committee 2013 prize winner Marc Van Montagu Olafur Ragnar Grimsson president of Iceland 2013 prize winner Mary-Dell Chilton 2013 prize winner Robert Fraley and John Ruan III chair of the World Food Prize. PhotoWorldFoodPrize. CALL TODAY toll-free in the U.S. Or contact Part and Service Sales Manager Glenn Lewis directly at 608-576-6250 or glennlewishughesequipment.com. 866-535-9303 HUSKER ROLLS Precision Fit For Major Husker Brands HUGHES YOUR STRATEGIC PARTNER FOR Food Processing Equipment and Replacement Parts Hughes Husker Manufacturing and TechnologyInnovationSince1961 hughesequipment.com COUNT ON HUGHES EQUIPMENT for the perfect hand-off. Readily available husker rolls to keep your sweet and seed corn huskers running cost effectively and at peak performance. Spiral Rolls Maxi Rolls Low Profile Rolls High Profile Rolls Select rolls available with and without cutting blades Spiral Rolls Maxi Rolls Low Profile Rolls Select rolls available SEE MORE ONLINE AT hughesequipment.comhusker-rolls 30 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Buhler Inc. T 209.983.8400 sortexsalesbuhlergroup.com www.buhlergroup.com Superior detection for maximum yield. The SORTEX A MultiVision ensures ultimate quality and yield for agricultural seeds including field crops vegetable seeds lawn seeds and many others. Utilizing its advanced MultiVision inspection system and broadband LED illumination the sorter is exceptional in the removal of contaminants and foreign materials such as discolored broken split spot defects and mud-stained product bird excreta glass stones and other seeds. The advanced inspection system can even detect the most challenging applications such as reduction of mycotoxins oblong soybeans dent corn from sweet corn and refuge-in-a-bag corn separation. Clean Seed. Productive Seed. BSOC 151992 Seed World_Half Page Advt_Apr 2015_20-05-2015.indd 1 5202015 71810 PM you can build on that make a personal connection and bring in the science and the tools. Hes explains that this has been counter-intuitive for him as a scientist but says its worked really well. Like Chilton Fraley has also received numerous accolades including the 2013 World Food Price and the National Medal of Technology in 1998 from President Clinton. He has authored more than 100 publication and patent applications relat- ing to technical advances in agricultural biotechnology. In his role today Fraley is an inspi- ration to many young scientists. He demonstrates what it takes to lead. He is a champion for agriculture and the seed industry and isnt afraid to push the envelope. David Garst David Garst helped build quite the seed industry legacy. Many longtime members of the American seed industry likely recall the Garst Guy and Garst Gal advertise- ments on the radio and print advertise- ments proclaiming Its Gotta be Garst and the royal blue lettering on plot signs and seed bags for Garst brand seed. High-yielding hybrids innovative corn technologies and an entrepreneurial approach to growing corn are among the attributes corn growers throughout the Corn Belt likely associate with the Garst seed brand Syngenta noted in 2014 when it rebranded Garst seed under the Golden Harvest brand. Syngenta acquired the Garst brand in 2004. David Garsts father co-founded the Garst Thomas Hi-Bred Corn Company in Coon Rapids Iowa in 1930. The Garst brand grew over the years through a series of mergers and acquisitions and David went to work for the company in the late 1950s eventually becoming presi- dent in 1982 at the age of 56. In 1983 Garst and Thomas split and the Garst Seed Co. was formed. Under David Garsts direction the brand flour- ished and went on to bring many innova- tive corn solutions to market. It led the way in developing herbicide-tolerant hybrids including the first IMI-corn. It also was among the first seed companies to offer European corn borer Bt control and herbicide tolerance together in one corn hybrid. Even though the Garst name wont have the same market presence the integrity tradition and history of the com- pany will continue to live on says Lori Thomas customer marketing manager for the dealer channel commercial unit for Syngenta in North America. Today we are beginning to see brand new platforms with data science and the ability to map fields subdivide them into smaller segments and farm meter by meter to optimize our yields and productivity. Robb Fraley Knowledge and values to grow your business Unified Ag Solutions LLC P.O. Box 3645 Omaha NE 68103 888-402-4787 www.unifiedagsolutions.com Seed Treaters Box-to-Box Treaters Automated Manual Systems Seed Treatments Inoculants Biologicals Bulk Seed Systems Seed Tenders Calibrations And more 32 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Henry Wallace Although he had a lot of influences along the way Henry Wallaces groundbreaking achievements in the breeding and mar- keting of hybrid corn can be traced back to one person his mom. Growing up in Iowa Wallaces mother shared her love of plants with her young son and taught him to cross-breed pansies. From there his interest in botany and agronomy only grew. As a child he befriended and learned a great deal from world-famous botanist George Washington Carver. Carver was a student at Iowa State University at the time and he lived with Wallaces family because African Americans werent allowed to live in the universitys dorm. Carvers influence on Wallace was big. By the age of 10 Wallace was experi- menting with plant breeding in his own personal plot. Just five years later he disproved the conventional wisdom that ear appearance row uniformity kernel shape and length could predict yield. Wallace is now credited with introducing the very concept of hybrid vigor. He developed the first commercial hybrid corn in 1923. Confident that hybrid seed corn was the future Wallace would go on to form the Hi-Bred Corn Company in Des Moines in 1926. By the early 1930s farmers were taking notice around 1 percent of the corn planted in Iowa came from Wallaces hybrid seed. That number steadily rose and by the mid 1960s almost the entire U.S. corn crop came from hybrid seed corn. The Hi-Bred Corn Company later became Pioneer Hi-Bred which was pur- chased in 1999 by DuPont. It is now called DuPont Pioneer. James Watson Francis Crick For centuries people have used DNA and genetics to create better more useful plants and animals through breeding. It has long been a slow process built on trial and error. More than 60 years ago two scientists led a team whose discovery would even- tually change that process and agriculture as we know it. James Watson was interested in the building blocks of life at a young age and after his doctoral work at Indiana University spent some time in England where he met Francis Crick. Crick who They did just that in 1953 with Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin. Watson and Crick shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Wilkins. The discovery did not immediately revolutionize agriculture but it did eventu- ally lead to modern methods of selecting for desirable traits. Genetically modified plants can boost yields protect against pests and impart herbicide tolerance that allows growers to keep fields clear of weeds. Companies are developing plants that can thrive in once inhospitable condi- tions such as highly acidic soil as well as plants that can survive rising tempera- tures and drought conditions among many characteristics. Watson went on to do research at Harvard University and then Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory known worldwide for its work in cancer neurobiology and basic molecular genetics. He was also direc- tor of the National Institutes of Healths Human Genome Project. Crick spent much of his career at the Medical Research Council at Cambridge and the Salk Institute in California where he studied developmental neurobiology. George Washington Carver Cotton was the undisputed king in the South. But when the boll weevil threat- ened the crop at the turn of the 20th Century George Washington Carver gave farmers the peanut. Today its hard to think of Carver and not think of peanuts. He purportedly developed more than 300 uses for the legume as well as many products for soy- beans pecans and sweet potatoes. Carver was born a slave in Missouri in 1964. Before he could read Carver had developed a green thumb helping neigh- bors revive sick plants and earning him the nickname the plant doctor. Carver went on to earn degrees from what is today Iowa State University becoming its first black student where he gained national prominence for his work in agriculture. Recruited by the Tuskegee Institute Carver headed the schools agriculture department and shaped its curriculum and faculty. Carver and Tuskegees faculty worked on crop rotation fertilization and the development of alternative cash crops in the South which was dealing with the devastation of the boll weevil starting in Nobel laureate James Watson chancellor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Francis Crick in partnership James Watson and others unlocked the keys to understanding DNA. PHOTOMARCLIEBERMAN. was absorbed with science as a child in England was studying the structure of proteins at the University of Cambridge. The two hit it off. Knowing that DNA was the key to understanding life they decided to determine its structure. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 33 Driven by innovation. aginnovation is all about exible and focused agricultural solutions through customer partnerships with sustainable value and quality driven by innovation and technology in areas of For further information call 209-367-4109 Seed treating coating and drying equipment Polymers and seed applied enhancement technology Analytical seed testing equipment Education training and research Education training and research Seed treating coating and drying equipment Polymers and seed applied enhancement technology Analytical seed testing equipment Polymers and seed applied enhancement technology Analytical seed testing equipment Education training and research the early 1890s. His goal was to improve the lives of poor southern farmers. Carver focused on chemistry to develop new uses for crops which led him to develop peanut-based cosmetics insecticides glues plastics and even a gasoline. He also taught farmers how to rotate legumes into fields to help them restore the nutrients so rapidly depleted by years of growing cotton. Speaking to the United Peanut Association of Americas 1920 Convention and later a Congressional committee on the need for a peanut tariff forever intertwined the scientists name with the legume. Theodore Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi sought Carvers advice on agri- cultural matters and the British Royal Society of Arts made him a member. Sanjaya Rajaram Seeing a son that wanted to learn about the world Sanjaya Rajarams parents sent their son off to school something few people in northeast India were able to do in the late 1940s and 1950s. Rajaram left the 5-hectare farm on which his parents grew wheat rice and maize and he excelled much to the ben- efit of people just like his parents. Rajarams schooling led to the University of Sydney where his advi- sor saw potential and sent him to work with Norman Borlaug the father of the Green Revolution who was head of the wheat breeding team at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center CIMMYT in Mexico. The move put Rajarams career on a path that led Borlaug to one day call his protege the greatest present-day wheat scientist in the world. After Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 he turned to Rajaram to succeed him at CIMMYT. Rajaram thrived in the position and wheat has never been the same. Rajaram was able to cross spring wheat with winter wheat varieties that had been separated for hundreds of years to produce new plants that could withstand a range of climates and condi- tions including marginal lands and acidic soils in South America. Overall he developed 480 wheat vari- eties that are resistant to rusts and other diseases. And his varieties grown in more than 50 countries yield as much as 25 percent more grain. Rajaram now a Mexican citizen is founder of Resource Seeds International. For his contributions to wheat breeding and genetics he received the 2014 World Food Prize the first wheat scientist to receive the award. SW Sanjaya Rajaram was honored with the 2014 World Food Prize for his work on wheat. Conrming Seed Orders STRATEGY A featured segment designed to share business- critical information to seed-selling professionals. Visit SeedWorld.com to download this department and other tools to help you sell seed to farmers. 34 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 WILL 2015 BE the year that retailers and seed companies help growers turn the tide on weed resistance and begin supplementing their defensive strate- gies with a few offensive tools The developers of new traits and technologies available to corn soy- bean and cotton growers are confident theyre bringing products to the market that give farmers more options for controlling weeds and cultivating high quality crops. Dow AgroSciences received news in the fall of last year 2014 that their Enlist corn and soybean traits had been deregulated and authorities gave their approval to register Enlist Duo herbicide for use in six states Illinois Indiana Iowa Ohio South Dakota and Wisconsin. Then in April the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the label for Enlist Duo in other key corn- and soybean- producing states including Arkansas Kansas Louisiana Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Nebraska Oklahoma and North Dakota. Similarly in January 2015 the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced they had deregulated dicamba-tolerant traits in cotton and soybeans clearing the way for Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton seed a product of Monsantos Deltapine to hit the market. BASF the maker of Engenia a new dicamba herbicide anticipates that EPA will register its product in mid- to late- New Tools Help to Fight Weeds Market introductions look to combat resistance issues. By Maria Brown 2015 allowing it to be used in tandem with those newly-approved dicamba- tolerant crops. As exciting as these advancements are scientists hope growers dont con- sider these products a magic bullet and forego proven management techniques. What Do They Offer Monsantos new cotton product part of the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System is tolerant to dicamba glyphosate and glufosinate. In 2015 growers will be able to use glyphosate and glufosinate on the crop while over-the-top use of dicamba waits for approval by EPA. The Enlist Weed Control System includes corn soybean and cotton seed resistant to glyphosate and 24-D the Enlist Duo herbicide and management resources available through the Enlist Ahead program. Enlist corn also pro- vides tolerance to FOP herbicides and John Kalthoff serves as Dow AgroSciences cross-platform portfolio marketing leader. Monsantos Jordan Iverson has high expectations for Bollgard II XtendFlex varieties this year. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 35 Enlist soybeans and Enlist cotton pro- vide tolerance to glufosinate herbicides. The Enlist Duo herbicide features Colex-D Technology and combines glyphosate with a new 24-D choline for weed control that is designed to land and stay on target says John Kalthoff Dow AgroSciences cross-platform portfolio marketing leader. Colex-D Technology provides four key benefits minimized potential for physical drift ultra-low volatility low odor and improved handling character- istics he adds. Developers at Dow AgroSciences are confident Enlist Duos two modes of action along with a program approach for season-long control will help manage and prevent resistance. Kalthoff says growers who participated in field trials in 2013 and 2014 didnt observe signs of crop injury or stress but found they were able to control a wide variety of weeds from waterhemp and lamb- squarters to ragweeds and small seeded broadleaves. Engenia is the newest most advanced formulation of dicamba avail- able from BASF says BASFs Chad Brommer technical market manager for herbicides. Its designed specifically for use in dicamba-tolerant crops espe- cially cotton and soybeans. Crops are able to degrade Engenia but its still highly effective on Palmer amaranth. Its uniquely formulated to reduce off-target exposure. Product developers say the herbi- cide offers burn down of more than 190 annual broadleaf weeds including Palmer amaranth marestail morning glory and more. Purdue Universitys Bill Johnson a weed scientist weighs in on benefits offered by these new technologies. BASFs Chad Brommer technical market manager for herbicides explains the benefits of Engenia the companys newest formulation of dicamba. Certainly theyve proceeded down the registration process very carefully. Ive seen demonstrations with these new formulations that give me a great deal of confidence that the herbicides are much less likely to move on their own of course it still depends on applicators making good decisions. Bill Johnson 36 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 There are currently 457 unique cases of herbicide resistant weeds globally with 246 species. Weeds have evolved resistance to 22 of the 25 known herbicide sites of action and to 157 different herbicides. Source International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds. FAST FACTBrommer says farmers can spend less time worrying about weed control and that means more bushels and more bales of cotton at the end of the year. Although a new product the com- pany has a long history of marketing dicamba products including Status and Clarity. BASF has a 50 year history of using dicamba Status was sprayed on more than 10 million acres of corn in 2013. We have a good track record so far Brommer notes. Bill Johnson a weed scientist with Purdue University says considering the sizeable investments these companies made theres a lot for them to lose by not stewarding them properly. Certainly theyve proceeded down the registration process very carefully he says. Ive seen demonstrations with these new formulations that give me a great deal of confidence that the her- bicides are much less likely to move on their own of course it still depends on applicators making good decisions. What Can Growers Expect A select group of farmers who also own livestock will grow Enlist corn as part of a stewarded introduction in 2015. Kalthoff explains that Dow AgroSciences has outlined the protocols the growers must follow. Participating farmers are required to follow strict stewardship procedures. The program requires that Enlist corn be fed on farm. Farmers growing Enlist corn commit that it will not enter the grain channel he says. Just where that corn is grown geo- graphically also depends on state regis- trations for Enlist Duo. In October 2014 the EPA registered the herbicide for use in Iowa Illinois Indiana Ohio South Dakota and Wisconsin. The agency is considering an expansion of registration to ten additional states. Production of Enlist soybeans this year through the companys Field Forward program will be solely for seed. Kalthoff says growers will be chosen to participate based on their interest in the technology and willing- ness to abide by stewardship guidelines. Farmers participating in the stew- arded activities for the Enlist system in 2015 will be back in control of resist- ant weeds and yield Kalthoff says. Growers will plant Enlist corn or soy- beans and spray their fields with Enlist Duo herbicide while also using a pro- gram approach. Enlist Duo will control the toughest weed species in a long application window helping to maxi- mize yield. Jordan Iverson cotton traits mar- keting manager for Monsanto says they estimate customers of Deltapine and their licensee cotton brands will plant more than half a million acres of Bollgard II XtendFlex varieties this year across a majority of the cotton growing states. Were going to work very closely with our distribution partners and growers on proper variety placement and management recommendations to help them maximize yield potential and fiber quality he says. Were also committed to educating growers on the added value of both glyphosate and glufosinate tolerance for 2015 as well as helping to ensure understanding that dicamba is not approved for over-the- top use in 2015. Unlike other crops the new cotton will not need to be segregated upon harvest. Bollgard II XtendFlex has been approved for export to Australia Mexico Canada and Japan. Other export markets are anticipated to follow. Participating farmers are required to follow strict stewardship procedures. Farmers growing Enlist corn commit that it will not enter the grain channel. John Kalthoff JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 37 For Engenia BASF anticipates regis- tration sometime soon Brommer says. BASF will continue its training efforts on best practices for growers. When handling Engenia there are certain things growers need to know which is why weve set up an On Target Application Academy he says. Proper use leads to maximum use benefit. We are committed to not just bringing great products to market but also stewarding them. In 2014 the training series was used in 24 states where farmers learned about everything from the importance of boom height and proper nozzle size to equipment cleanout. Looking Ahead to 2016 Based on further deregulation and market expansion the dawn of the 2016 growing season could be even more noteworthy in the weed resistance battle. Kalthoff says Dow AgroSciences anticipates Enlist corn and soybeans can have a full commercial launch next year although we will evaluate our options based on the status of import approvals as the 2016 season gets closer. Requests are pending to export the products to both China and the European Union. Also pending is regulatory approval for Enlist cotton. The company has said previously they anticipate bringing the technology to growers in 2016. Kalthoff says they will fully determine their com- mercial intentions for it when deregula- tion and registration are granted. Iverson says Monsanto hopes to commercialize their dicamba formula- tions for use next year. We are working to gain approv- als for over-the-top dicamba use and were hopeful these will be achieved for use in the 2016 application season he says. The next step in the process is we expect the EPA to post a draft label for over-the-top dicamba use in the near future which will then be opened for a 30-day public comment period. Were asking that growers and others in the industry make their positive comments in support of the technology and its value to both growers and the cotton industry. BASF hopes for the same thing giving them the opportunity to fully market Engenia. For 2016 we expect dicamba-toler- ant cotton and soybeans will be avail- able with the use of Engenia over the top Brommer says. As use of these new weed fighters expands scientists such as Purdues Johnson hope that farmers still see value in investing time and resources into diversified weed control techniques. After witnessing the nations agriculture industry grapple with ALS- and now glyphosate-resistant weeds hes con- cerned that history could repeat itself. If we use this new technology like Round Up well break that tool as well Johnson says. He encourages retailers and grow- ers to take advantage of the educa- tional materials such as those available through the United Soybean Boards Take Action campaign. The campaign encourage those in agriculture to think beyond a single season and work toward long-term solutions. Controlling herbicide-resistant weeds can be challenging. The campaign is an industry-wide partnership between university weed scientists major herbicide providers and corn cotton sorghum soy and wheat organizations to help you manage herbi- cide-resistant weeds. There are four areas of focus Weed Out Resistance know the weeds know weed growth know weed seed characteristics and know herbicide resistance. In the Field rotate crops use multiple herbicide sites of action and incorporate tillage practices. Spray Attention know herbicide site of action properties manage drift know environmental condi- tions and know the neighbors. The Bottom Line manage risk know cost-benefits of practices and know the cost of poor weed control. SW Were going to work very closely with our distribution partners and growers on proper variety placement and management recommendations to help them maximize yield potential and fiber quality. Jordan Iverson 38 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Gluten-free and easily consumed by nearly everyone pulse crops are finding a market.Marc Zienkiewicz Pulses Continue to Grow in Demand THE WORLDS PULSE CROP industry is looking forward to 2016 declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Pulses. This designa- tion is meant to increase awareness of pulses and to position them on the world stage as a primary source of protein and other essential nutrients. The 2016 IYOP will promote broad discussion and cooperation at the national regional and global levels to increase awareness and understanding of the chal- lenges faced by pulse farmers be they large scale farms or small landholders according to the official IYOP website. Pulses a category of crops that includes dry peas and beans lentils and chickpeas are high in protein fiber and various vitamins provide amino acids and are hearty crops. They are most popular in developing countries but are increasingly becoming recognized as an excellent part of a healthy diet throughout the world. Thats exciting to people like Andy Bury president of the British Edible Pulses Association BEPA. The association announced that the United Kingdoms total amount of spring pulses grown in 2015 will likely increase as growers turn to beans and peas to meet new EU agricul- tural requirements manage blackgrass and mitigate falling oilseed rape prices. Some commentators are expressing the view that increased acreage will put downward pressure on prices but that should not be a concern. Prices will be slightly lower but there will still be a sub- stantial premium over wheat Bury says. The significant advantage is that this will bring more buyers into the market and increasing demand will bring new oppor- tunities for growers. Farmers look to increase awareness of and demand for pulses as the United Nations declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses. Dry peas such as other cool season legumes offer many environmental benefits when part of a rotation. Timeliness is important when harvesting peas. THE CONTEXT NETWORK 4601 Westown Parkway Suite 220 West Des Moines IA 50266 P 515.225.2204 F 515.225.0039 www.contextnet.com THE CONTEXT NETWORK is the worlds premier agriculture management consulting firm helping each client achieve exceptional results and advance agriculture making it more productive more efficient and more sustainable around the globe. Context provides business management and strategy consulting services to agriculture biotechnology and food companies and government agencies and institutions. Major areas of expertise in- clude strategy merger and acquisition support valuation of new technologies formation of alliances and opportunity analysis. Based in the United States Context is comprised of a core of professional executive consultants and is complemented by a global network of hundreds of industry and subject-area experts on-site worldwide. The Context Network Partners Row one left to right Asha Lundal Jim Eckles Tray Thomas Paul Watson and Nathan Ramsey. Row two James Mann Mark Holland Mike Borel and Mark Nelson CONTEXT STRATEGIC SUPPORT Context leverages the expertise of its network to provide a wide spectrum of substantive services. We probe we evaluate and we deliver the business strategy intelligence and due diligence our clients need to make informed and practical decisions. Industry Segment Strengths Include Crop Protection Produce PackingShipping Biotechnology Feed Ingredients Grain Handling Seed Food Manufacturing Crop ProductionContracting BiofuelsBioenergy Precision Agriculture Pest Management Animal HealthProductivity Ag Development and Sustainability Services Include Corporate Strategy ProductMarket Strategy Implementation Technology Prospecting Technology Assessment Program Evaluation Value Chain Analysis Opportunity Analysis Feasibility Analysis AcquisitionDivestiture Strategy and Integration Operational Efficiency Marketing and Brand Management Context Special Services Market Intelligence 40 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Like in other parts of the globe pulses play an important role in the U.K. feed industry used heavily in livestock diets for pigs poultry and cattle as well as for pet food and for aquaculture. The key value of pulses in animal feed comes from their amino acids and from the energy supplied by carbohydrates. Theyre also a major food staple in the domestic and international markets in the U.K. Pulses are used as an ingredient in a variety of foods such as soups. The also form the base of traditional dishes in major pulse-consuming nations such as India the worlds biggest producer of pulses. Export Demand Unlike many major pulse-growing nations such as the Canada and the United States India consumes the majority of the pulses it grows shares Jackie Tenuta Pulse Canada director of market development. It has to import the rest. This presents opportunities for the North American pulse industry to grow its exports. Canada is a world leader in the pro- duction and export of pulse crops the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance notes. Its the worlds biggest exporter of pulses. In 2012 Canada exported 3.4 million tonnes of pulses worth more than 1.8 billion and exports its pulses to more than 120 countries.Canadas largest pulse export markets are India 27 percent China 13 percent the U.S. 8 percent Bangladesh 6 percent and Turkey 4.4 percent. With a healthy export market to the developing world Pulse Canada is attempting to diversify its pulse market opportunities and get more consumers in the developed world eating the nutritious crop Tenuta says. It also wants to grow its domestic market. The U.S. and Canada have fairly low pulse consumption. The focus for us has been on increasing consumption in processed food as an ingredient. We see that as the next big demand push for our industry she says. From a marketing perspective we see the next frontier being the incorporation of pulses into more processed foods and increasing marketing potential in developed countries like the U.S. and European countries. Byron Lannoye general manager for seed company Pulse USA in North Dakota agrees that domestic demand for pulses will only rise. I think domestic demand will provide a stable base for the market he says. As pulse crops get introduced to the domestic food markets if it continues to increase like it is now we will more than likely have trouble supplying the demand if we can consume the products we pro- duce within our own states and provinces. The popularity of foods like hummus is creating demand for chickpeas in the United States. The latest U.S. Farm Bill includes two provisions intended to boost consumption of pulses including chick- peas peas and lentils. Pulses are a growing American industry Lannoye notes. Theres good work being done on wet rot on peas. With the wet weather that pulse growing areas can get weve had more problems with that Lannoye says. Were working to get varieties that are resistant to both strains of wet rot. Thats a big deal for us. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada AAFC researchers and their collabora- tors in six provinces have made significant contributions to pulse crop research and innovation in Canada. Research areas include breeding and genetic enhance- ment. Research has been carried out into new varieties that resist lodging and We see the next frontier being the incorporation of pulses into more processed foods and increasing marketing potential in developed countries. Jackie Tenuta Pulse crops will continue to grow in demand among domestic markets in the U.S. and Canada. Theres a reason theyve been called the perfect food he says. Not only are they highly nutritious they also happen to be gluten-free something a growing number of consumers look for in light of the popularity of gluten-free diets theyre also a blessing for growers. Pulse Canada notes that pulse crops use less water and can tolerate drought stress better than crops like wheat or canola. Pulse crops also use water in a different way than other crops grown in rotation extracting water from a shallower depth leaving more water deep in the soil for the following years cereal or oilseed crop. The water use characteristics of pulse crops effectively increases the water use effi- ciency of the entire crop rotation. Pulses are nitrogen-fixing crops and less energy is needed to grow them so they produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions Tenuta adds. Soil health is improved as a result. Future of Pulses As pulse demand grows new varieties are being developed to accommodate that increased demand. disease or have a shorter growing season AAFC notes. AAFC the University of Saskatchewan and University of Guelph developed the majority of new pulse varie- ties in Canada. Its not just Canada thats developing new pulse varieties. Two new varieties of chickpea developed by researchers at the University of Western Australia UWA are expected to take the Indian market by storm and turn the tide for an industry that has struggled to recover from a devastating disease that first hit the Western Australian crop in 1999 according to UWA. Ambar is an early flowering variety that gives competitive yields and has a high degree of ascochyta blight resist- ance. Neelam is a mid-flowering variety with a wide adaptation and has given outstanding grain yields at trials in Western Australia South Australia and Victoria. Both Ambar and Neelams resistance to the ascochyta blight has been veri- fied in other parts of Australia and India where pathogen population is much more diverse.As a result the need for little or no fungicide should significantly cut the cost of production UWA reports. SW says. We look at technical success and market success. A product wont reach the end of the pipeline unless we have the assurance and can make clear claims to the market that the product is reliable works and is safe. Gathering Grower Input Both Martin and Veenhuizen indicate that obtaining grower insight and feedback is vital to new product development. Companies generate potential product ideas through the discovery phase and then rely heavily on growers to sort the good from the bad. Ultimately theyre looking for ideas that will result in the highest level of farmer acceptance after commercialization. There are many information sources companies use to help make strategic decisions regarding what products to develop or what innovation to pursue according to Veenhuizen. For example companies conduct focus groups with farmers to determine what drives their efficiency and profitability. They also reach out to academic and industry insti- tutions that work in the areas of insects weeds nutrition animal health plant diseases and weather. Crop associations also provide valuable insight regarding what is needed in the marketplace. We are very active in the Farm Progress Show Veenhuizen says. We try to be transparent by using demon- strations. We want the farmers to come to our booth to discuss these new ideas and give us their feedback. We take that very seriously. Mark McCaslin vice president of research at Forage Genetics International explains that its relatively easy to get a forum of hay producers together by using state and national forage associations. We do a lot of homework upfront that helps us establish what the value proposition for growers is McCaslin says. There are a lot of opportunities to inter- face with growers and theyre generally not shy in terms of sharing the kind of stuff theyre interested in. If its an idea theyre not interested in theyre not shy about not talking about that either. Continually Evaluate Success With farmer feedback that a new Companies understand the risks and responsibilities that come with delivering new products to the marketplace. Megan Townsend Launching the Traits of Tomorrow D EVELOP SOMETHING NEW unlike anything farmers use today. Make sure it delivers value and meets the worlds food and agricultural needs. And remember it has to comply with domestic and international regulations while also yielding a substantial return on investment. Thats the complex challenge seed companies accept when trying to launch a new technology. Its risky expensive and takes an entire organization from scientists to financial advisers to accomplish but commercializing new seed traits keeps U.S. agriculture moving forward increasing crop yields and quality year-after-year. Duane Martin product lead for commercial traits at Syngenta estimates that it takes about 150 million and at least 10 years of research development and regulatory work to launch a new trait. Its a very big decision for companies to make Martin says. There are lots of opportunity costs there if you make the wrong decision. So it really is all based on what that new trait adds to a growers farming enterprise. If it adds something different or better than what is in the market today then its worth the mas- sive amount of resources and considerable amount of time. Martin says the driving factor behind launching new tech- nologies for companies shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone its all about adding value for the grower. Its really that simple with a whole lot of other factors rolled into that decision he says. Jeff Veenhuizen operations lead for Monsanto Technology describes it as a multipronged approach that starts by deter- mining what the marketplace needs. We dont even start product development until we figure out that its going to do something that growers need so that alleviates a lot of concerns right from the beginning Veenhuizen 42 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 43 trait will indeed deliver unique value companies begin technical assessments to determine if the technology will work in real-world settings. They have a system of milestones or checks and balances that allows them to rigorously and objec- tively evaluate the traits success at vari- ous points along the pipeline. If it meets the criteria set in place then it continues through the process to commercializa- tion however if it doesnt meet the crite- ria it is eliminated as a viable option. We have a lot of requirements that we promised to uphold to the world before releasing this technology and only after we have met all of these require- ments will we launch this product Veenhuizen says. Companies also gauge manufacturing success or how easily a potential trait can move from research and development to production. And although they originally deter- mined a need for the trait they continu- ally assess its potential business success. Since it takes almost a decade for a trait to move through the pipeline the com- pany wants to ensure there is still a market need identify where it can be successfully launched calculate its value and deter- mine its potential return on investment. The overall goal is to avoid late-stage failures as much as possible because it equates to significant losses for a com- pany in terms of time and money. It can also damage industry and consumer confidence in the pipeline process. In the best interest of the entire industry it is really good for every- one not to have late-stage failures Veenhuizen says. We want to build trust in our process. The pipeline is built to avoid late-stage failures in a really nice way by requiring strict criteria from the very beginning. Manage the Decade-long Process Ten years might seem like a long time to bring a new trait to market but its the timeframe thats needed to ensure a new trait is safe for farmers consumers and the environment. The timeline breaks down into a few years for discovery and invention. Then companies spend five to six years gen- erating regulatory data that proves the product does what its supposed to do tion to bring a trait to the market and actu- ally get it in a farmers field Martin says. A companys size and the develop- ment phase determines how many new traits are in the pipeline. For example at Forage Genetics International they typi- cally have five or six traits in the discovery phase two or three in early development and is safe to use. Finally it takes two to three years to receive regulatory approval after submitting the data package to the government. It is an all-inclusive process that involves the research scientists business analysts field research organizations and ultimately the entire commercial organiza- Duane Martin serves as product lead for commercial traits at Syngenta. Jeff Veenhuizen is operations lead for Monsanto Technology. 44 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 From Your Land to Our Land Your Customers Depend On Quality Seed Our Customers Rely On Quality Bags Multiwall Bags Polywoven Bags Bulk Bags AND WHEN IT COMES TO RELIABILITY IN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES EL DORADO PACKAGING NEVER DISAPPOINTS. We Build Our Bags To Be Tough. We Build Our Bags Just For You. BUILT TOUGH BUILT FOR YOU 1-800-432-BAGS2247 multiwallbags.com EL DORADOP a c k a g i n g I n c . TM AND WHEN IT COMES TO RELIABILITY IN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES EL DORADO PACKAGING NEVER DISAPPOINTS. We Build Our Bags To Be Tough. Quality Product with Quality Service and one in commercialization according to McCaslin. At Monsanto and Syngenta their product portfolio is much more expansive and results in a pipeline with 50 to 60 traits in it at one time covering many different varieties. Gaining Regulatory Approval A company can evaluate whether its a good time to launch a trait but its not just up to them. They have to move the trait through the regulatory system both domestically and internationally before releasing a new product. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service APHIS allows breeders to pursue field testing of new traits. After undergoing years of field tests extensive review and determination by APHIS that unconfined release of a genetically mod- ified organism does not pose a significant risk to agriculture or the environment the organism in question is no longer considered a regulated article and can be moved and planted without APHIS authorization according to The Seed Industry in U.S. Agriculture published by the USDA. ate amount of data to submit as a package to APHIS Martin says the government has been predictable in returning the regulatory approval to sell a trait in the United States. When exporting traits companies work with industry associations such as the National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association to determine the best process to follow. Those associations work very closely with the industry to advise us on which countries need to approve the trait in order for the grain containing that trait to move freely in the international grain trade Martin explains. A core set of regulations exist that every country has agreed to use when evaluating seed traits but each country is also allowed to have its own set of spe- cific requirements. There are nuances in the way certain countries want the data presented but for the most part there is a common set of data and require- ments used across the world according to Veenhuizen. Rising Uncertainty with China Obtaining international regulatory The U.S. has a system that is prob- ably the most functional and predictable in the world Martin says. The generally accepted protocol to bring a new trait to the market even to the export market has been a very systematic approach that has worked well in the past. As long as companies do the right work up-front and collect the appropri- It should be concerning to all of U.S. agriculture to see a significant new technology impeded by the actions of a single country. Duane Martin JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 45 Seed Storage For Peak Profits. BMIL Technologies has the turnkey storage solution to make sure your seeds reach their full profit potential. AgLocker provides Significant energy savings with 13 less power consumption Consistent low temperature and humidity Lightweight fast unit installation Easy monitoring For seeds that go the distance check out AgLocker by BMIL today. The difference is dramatic Seeds kept at optimum temperature and moisture levels have a storage life of 1020 days or more. Those that arent last as little as 47 days or less. Thats over a 2000 increase. 252 727-0994 4915 Arendell Street 313 Morehead City NC 28557 bmilbmil.com www.bmil.com www.aglocker.com Source American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers ASABE 2014 Special Report Successful Farming. Example is of clean undamaged shelled corn stored at 50 F 14 moisture content vs. 80 F 16 moisture content. approval has worked well in the past however it might become much more unpredictable given recent events with China Martin says. In late-2013 China began rejecting corn that contained the MIR 162 trait from Syngenta also known as Agrisure Viptera. Syngenta had received deregula- tion approval in the United States in 2010 and began selling the trait. The company submitted an approval package to China however corn containing the trait made it into the grain system before China granted approval. There were several factors there that simply didnt add up Martin says. First the import approval in China was delayed long passed when we would have expected it and what history had typically shown us for the Chinese regu- latory system. Second China had been importing corn that may have contained the MIR 162 trait for two years and then suddenly they began rejecting corn saying that it contained an unapproved trait. McCaslin describes similar concerns about Chinas regulatory process for the hay market. Companies have to obtain approval in the United States before they can submit a data package to China while other countries allow for concurrent evaluations to accelerate the import process. Chinas going to be tricky and all of the biotech companies are trying to anticipate how that process is going to evolve in China in terms of deregulation and how it can be as coordinated as possible with whats happening in the United States he says. Its a very significant export market for a lot of U.S. crops and were in a learning phase of what are things that we can do to expedite deregulation in China. If the international deregulation process becomes more uncertain it could potentially stall the launch of new traits ultimately slowing down overall progress for U.S. agriculture and jeopardizing the countrys competitive advantage in continually improving yield and quality year-over-year. It should be concerning to all of U.S. agriculture to see a significant new technology impeded by the actions of a single country Martin explains. Those actions seemed not to be related to the technical or safety aspects of the trait but really seemed to be much more political in nature. Its an important issue that the ag industry in general will have to address. Rising to the Challenge Seed companies take on what seems like an insurmountable task when they set out to launch a new technology. It has to be unique deliver value comply with strict government regulations and at the end of the day generate profit. Yet each year they deliver and each year U.S. agriculture grows stronger. SW 150 million is what Syngenta estimates it takes to launch a new trait. 10 years of research development and regulatory work are required to launch a new trait. 50-60 is the number of new traits in the pipeline at companies such as Monsanto and Syngenta. 46 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 INTERNATIONALAGRICULTURALDEVELOPMENT DENNIS THOMPSON delivers solutions and empowers people and organizations to solve complex problems related to interna- tional agricultural development and global food security. His career experience and international credentials include Extension educa- tion agronomy and administration. Seeds to Provide the Necessities FOLLOWING A PEACE CORPS post in Mali in the mid- to late-1980s Kerry Clark joined the University of Missouri as a soybean breeding research associate. For nearly 20 years she managed its variety development program. However shifting research interests eventu- ally led her to enter the soil science doctorate program to study the impacts of organic farming. Her unique background garnered her an invitation to become a research associate on the team of Kristin Bilyeu a U.S. Department of Agriculture research molecular biologist based at the University of Missouri. Here Clark implements village level activities in Ghana and Mozambique. Clarks work supports that of Bilyeu who is the principal investigator of grain and seed quality for USAIDs Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Soybean Value Chain Research project. The col- laborative USAID program is known as the Soybean Innovation Lab SIL which is administratively housed at the University of Illinois. A Slice of Life Having traveled more than 8000 miles she deplanes in the south African nation of Mozambique and hits the ground running. When I arrive I spend a week putting the Soybean Success Kits together she says. Then we load them up and head to the villages. In Mozambique that means trekking to six villages located in three geographical regions. To reach some villages it requires 12-15 hours of challenging travel. Some 3500 miles away in Ghana she visits nine vil- lages three each in different regions. A government Extension agent goes with us Clark says. Villagers sit under a big tree and we talk to them about the kits and what they can do with soybeans She encourages the Extension agent to assume the public leadership role during farmer meetings. After participating in the educational sessions each farmer is presented with a Soybean Success Kit which contains 5 pounds of seed from a locally African developed soybean variety 4 pounds of fertilizer and soybean inoculant. Agronomic instructions in diagram and print format can be found on the poly bag housing the kit. In total 2400 households received kits were pro- vided information and shown demonstrations about how to inoculate and plant soybean seed. Production and harvest information was also presented. In Mozambique farmers were very happy to be getting the kits but Clark was uncertain due to transla- tions about what made the farmers so excited. Was it the soybean seed The inoculum The fertilizer The kit as a whole Just receiving a gift Or that someone expressed care Follow-up visits are planned during the growing season to learn more about their experi- ences and how many properly used the kit. Soybeans for direct human consumption versus those for commercial oilseed markets hold differ- ent promise and present researchers with different problems. Bilyeu is working to develop low-latitude low-processing soybean varieties for direct human consumption. Low-processing soybeans provide better taste and more nutrition while requiring less labor. Soybeans are an excellent crop to sell for cash providing the local value chain includes market outlets and for enriching diets with protein. Once people in Africa get the initial seed they can keep some to grow the following season or they can use their profits to buy fertilizer seed and food. The villages in both countries are very poor. Per capita annual income is about 400. Those fortunate to have employment can expect to receive a typical daily wage of 1.50. Most of the population are subsist- ence farmers meaning they grow all their own food often not enough and usually have nothing left to sell. Without cash generation households are unable to meet other basic needs such as education for children. Clarks most recent work in Ghana coincided with the end of the dry season. Some villages had fully depleted food supplies she says explaining that the past seasons harvest had been totally consumed. And planting for the next season had not yet started. Villagers had no money to make purchases from regions where food might have been more plentiful. Life is extremely hard but people are industrious and make do with what little they have. The efforts of caring and talented people such as Clark and Bilyeu are to be commended. They hope their contributions will result in providing farmers more disposable income and more nutritious food. SW 48 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 ON JUNE 3 more than 20 organizations concerned about pollinators teamed up to form the National Pollinator Garden Network and launch the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge a new nationwide campaign. This campaign is designed to accelerate the growing efforts across America and support President Barack Obamas call to action to reverse the decline of pollinating insects. To help sup- port the campaign First Lady Michelle Obama has dedicated a section of the White House garden to habitat that supports pollinators. The challenge to rally hundreds of thousands of garden- ers horticultural professionals schools and volunteers to reg- ister 1 million pollinator gardens during the next two years to help revive the health of bees butterflies birds and bats across America. Every habitat of every size counts from window boxes and garden plots to farm borders golf courses corporate and university campuses. Individuals or companies that already have a pollinator garden can register their site online share.pollinator.org and count toward the 1 million pollinator gardens. Almost all experts agree one of the major health factors facing honeybees is a lack of forage areas. With the world popu- lation expected to grow to more than 9 billion people food will need to double by 2050. This means bees need more food to help pollinate all these crops. Among the supporting organizations is the American Seed Trade Association which has been active in national pollinator discussions and the National Garden Bureau. Bees are vital in seed and agricultural production as well as general ecosystem health and ensuring their wellbeing is a priority says Andy LaVigne ASTA president and CEO. ASTAs diverse membership includes companies with expertise in the production of seed for pollinator forage and health. We look forward to working in tandem with the White House and mem- bers of the National Pollinator Garden Network to increase the outreach and education of this important initiative. The National Pollinator Garden Network is also comprised of America in Bloom Home Garden Seed Association Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center National Environmental Education Foundation National Recreation and Park Association National Wildlife Federation Pollinator Partnership and the U.S. Department of Agricultures Peoples Garden among others. Help Pollinators Pollinate Complementing the national effort Bayer CropScience earlier this year launched its Feed a Bee campaign. To date more than 200000 people have pledged to help feed bees by planting 50 million flowers in 2015 according to the company. Through the campaign Bayer has secured more than 30 collaborators who have committed to plant thousands of acres of bee forage and Bayers Bee Health team continues to work toward its goal of engaging 50 groups to create bee habitats across the country. Bayer has been registering individuals to register on www. FeedABee.com and commit to planting bee-attractant plants on their own or they can opt to have the Feed a Bee initiative plant seeds for them. Additionally Syngenta has been working on this issue through Operation Pollinator an initiative thats been working to feed bees and protect the environment for more than 10 years. Operation Pollinator is an international biodiversity program to boost the number of pollinating insects on commercial farms. In 2014 the company worked with Delta F.A.R.M. which committed to establish at least five Operation Pollinator plots throughout Northwest Mississippi with plans to grow the pro- gram annually through 2016 on more fields and farms. Leaders at Syngenta have also been coordinating research efforts with the University of California Davis Michigan State University and the University of Florida. In the golf sector Operation Pollinator has already been incorporated into more than 50 commercial golf courses across 20 states. Stay tuned as Seed World will continue to track the pollinator issue and industry efforts to address it. SW New initiatives at all levels encourage the creation of habitat to support pollinators. Julie Deering PLANTINGS FOR POLLINATORS WHEREON THE WEB Learn more about the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge at httpmillionpollinatorgardens.org. Traits and applications listed are for example purposes only. Actual trait lists for species available upon request. aBASFPlantSciencecompany For more information on how our genotyping and sequencing services www.dnalandmarks.com Traits and applications listed are for example purposes only. Actual trait lists for species available upon request. Traits and applications listed are for example purposes only. Actual trait lists for species available upon request. Traits and applications listed are for example purposes only. a BASFPlantScience company For more information on how our genotyping and sequencing servicesFor more information on how our genotyping and sequencing servicesFor more information on how our genotyping and sequencing servicesFor more information on how our genotyping and sequencing services www.dnalandmarks.com For more information on how our genotyping and sequencing services can benefit your breeding program please visit www.dnalandmarks.com 450 358 2621 infodnalandmarks.ca If its in the genes well help you find it... Backcross status 96 similar to recurrent parents. Trait Status Fusarium Race 1 Fusarium Race 2 TMV Verticillium Root knot nematode Spotted wilt Quality Control Lot confirmed suitable for production Security DNA fingerprinted against variety theft. DNA markers can tell you a lot about your germplasm while at the same time protecting your most valuable asset. 50 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 T HE U.S. SEED export business is steadily growing and its giving more seed compa- nies the opportunity to test their wares in an international market. According to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Foreign Agricultural Service the value of U.S. seed exports has steadily risen since 2008 when companies moved nearly 1.17 billion in seed across borders. That number was 1.45 billion in 2013. Thats a 24 percent increase in five years or nearly 5 percent each year. On top of that more and more countries are signing on to the International Plant Protection Convention a multilateral international agreement administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and recognized by the World Trade Organization as the only international standard setting body for plant health. The treaty is designed to help protect cultivated and wild plants by preventing the spread of pests and diseases through international trade. Once these inva- sive diseases and pests take hold its often impossible to rid them from a country. In 2000 there were about 80 to 90 countries involved with the treaty according to Ric Dunkle American Seed Trade Association senior director of seed health and trade. Today there are 182. The treaty is not a requirement to be involved in international seed trade. But it gives countries science-based measures to help safeguard their cultivated and wild plants. Dunkle says a major goal is to get countries on the same page in terms of phytosanitary require- ments the rules and requirements each country sets regarding disease and pests in order for a particular seed to enter the country. More countries are getting the capacity to manage phytosanitary requirements Dunkle says. As we continue to work toward agreements of phytosani- tary requirements based on science I think it will open new markets. Getting Started While the possibility of expanding markets sounds great entering them is another story. The maze of rules and requirements that must be met to move seed across a border can be daunting. And even once those are mastered there are no guarantees that any- thing will go smoothly. When youre working internationally just about anything can happen says Michael Perry a U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service APHIS senior export specialist. For a company that hasnt dipped its toe into the export business Perry recommends starting with the USDA APHIS Phytosanitary Export Database PExD System. The database contains phytosanitary require- ments of U.S.-origin commodities to foreign countries. In other words it lays out each countrys known phytosanitary requirements for additional declarations area freedom testing treatment pest lists inspections Beginners Guide to Moving Seed INTERNATIONALLY If your company is thinking about entering the export market for the first time there are several pieces of the puzzle that should be well planned out. BRIAN WALLHEIMER is a writer based in Illinois. He has bach- elors and masters degrees in journalism and has worked as a reporter in Illinois Massachusetts Connecticut and Indiana. He was most recently digital editor of the Rockford Register Star. He has also worked as a research news writer for the College of Agriculture at Purdue University. 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German Engineering for American Field Research Phone 844-694-6205 PlantersPlantersPlanters Single Twin Plot Combines for All Crops Harvesters for Silage and Forage Laboratory ThreshersLaboratory ThreshersLaboratory ThreshersLaboratory ThreshersLaboratory ThreshersLaboratory Threshers Cleaners and CountersCleaners and CountersCleaners and CountersCleaners and CountersCleaners and CountersCleaners and Counters Harvest ManagerHarvest ManagerHarvest Manager Software NIRSoftware NIRSoftware NIR ALL YOU NEED FOR FIELD RESEARCH HALDRUP USA 6538 S 300 W Poneto IN 46781 t 844-694-6205 infohaldrup.nethaldrup.nethaldrup.net 52 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 etc. that must be met to import each type of seed into their country. Phytosanitary certificates are really the major thing you need to move seed around the world says Steve Cull director of seed operations at Ball Horticultural Company. The phytosanitary requirements can vary significantly from country to country and seed to seed. And looking them up requires entering their botanical names. Some countries are really sensitive to certain seeds Perry says. Other coun- tries may require no certificate while some may require testing or field inspec- tions. Every country is different. To export corn Zea mays to Brazil for example the shipment must be free of Prostephanus truncatus a type of grain borer and lab tests must be conducted to ensure the seed is free of Cercospora sorghi a fungal plant pathogen and Mycosphaerella zeae-maydis a type of leaf blight. It must also be produced in a country known to be free of Striga a par- asitic plant that attacks plant roots. There are half a dozen more requirements just to get corn seed into Brazil. Canada has different requirements for different states or U.S. territories for the importation of corn. For most the country requires fumigations or steam treatments for European corn borer. But it also imposes additional declarations that the seed was produced in an area free of European corn borer that the seed was passed through a 1.25 centim- eter screen to exclude large corn cob or stem fragments and that the seed was treated in a manner approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to control European corn borer. Some countries will require similar phytosanitary certificates as well as an import permit. Meanwhile other coun- tries will impose an outright ban on the importation of a particular type of seed without an import permit. China for example prohibits importation of corn without a permit. Sometimes its a matter of having federal authorities or ASTA staff working with the country to determine what they need to allow seed across their borders. Exceptions are sometimes made for research purposes or if a new demand for the seed arises. If something is prohibited you can apply for an import permit which supersedes known import requirements explains Perry. Genetically modified seed poses its own hurdles. In general a country either allows the importation of GMOs or doesnt. The same sorts of testing and inspections would apply to GMO and non-GMO seeds alike. Constant Change Knowing the requirements listed in the PExD isnt always enough. Perry stresses that while the database is constantly updated it lists only the known requirements from each country. A country could for example have a law going into effect in the fall that requires a particular inspection or test that isnt listed in the database yet. Or the country might not have com- municated a new requirement yet. Dunkle has even seen cases of new phytosanitary require- ments being adopted while a shipment was in transit causing it to be rejected upon arrival. A countrys phytosanitary regulations constantly change and are constantly updated Dunkle says. A lot of time we have to ask APHIS to intervene and allow that seed to go through under the grandfathered requirements. Dunkle says its also important to be ahead of the game. Some of the requirements a country could have might not be possible to meet with seed thats already harvested. If they base a phytosanitary certificate on a field inspection and your seed is already harvested you cant do that Dunkle explains. To ensure youre not tripped up by unforeseen requirements its important to work through your local USDA representatives. Not only will they be able to make sure all requirements are met but they can do or set up necessary inspections and provide resources for seed testing and additional declarations. We want a good relationship with these people Cull says. If we need an additional declaration to get our product into another country they can get those declarations. Dunkle adds that making connections on the receiving end can be vital for exporting. If companies are contemplating get- ting into the business of exporting seed they should study the phytosanitary requirements and find allies in those countries to help them out like seed associations in those countries he says. Those contacts can also help navigate any other taxes or fees that might be levied from other governmental agencies. A company should register with APHIS Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System PCIT a web-based tool that allows exporters to apply for phytosanitary certifi- cates online schedule inspections and print their certificates. Registered users communicate through the system with county state and federal officials who help with the details and require- ments to move seed across borders. Exporters should also be aware that any import permits issued are for one specific shipment or for a set amount of time. Any future business will require applying for new permits. Re-exports Add a New Dynamic Re-exportation adds a wrinkle to the situation. The key is to pay attention to where the seed is originating and where it will end up. Getting seed from Chile to the United States might be fairly straightforward. In fact getting seed into Ric Dunkle is senior director of seed health and trade for the American Seed Trade Association. Michael Perry serves as a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service senior export specialist. Steve Cull serves as director of seed operations at Ball Horticultural Company. With high oleic soybeans you can take back the market share you lost to canola and other crops. High oleic are top-performing varieties packed with innovation your end-use customers want. From supermarket food brands to restaurant chains high oleic soybeans offer you more market opportunities. Grow it now and you grow your profitability. Talk to your local seed rep for the best varieties in your area or visit SoyInnovation.com The yield you want the demand you need thats high oleic. Funded by the soy checkoff. 54 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 the United States usually requires little more than a phytosani- tary certificate. The U.S. is probably one of the easiest countries to import seed into in the world. Most seed just needs a phytosanitary certificate saying its free from disease and pests. Usually seed is subjected to a visual inspection and released Dunkle says. But theres usually a lot of problems with seeds for re-export. Sending that same seed on to China could cause problems if China wasnt factored into the equation back in Chile. China could have a requirement that the United States does not such as a certain field inspection. If that inspection wasnt done China may not accept the seed. We have to say this is what we got from Chile and this is what China requires. Do they match Perry says. Even if those requirements dont match Dunkle suggests contacting ASTA or local USDA officials who can work with their international counterparts. It could still be possible to perform tests or treat the seed to appease the importing countrys requirements. The earlier were aware of that the more we can do to help resolve those problems Dunkle says. While getting seed into the U.S. is relatively straightforward Dunkle says USDA prohibits certain seed including rice seed from anywhere in the world corn seed from Africa and wheat seed from India. Permits can be obtained to bring in prohibited seed for research purposes. Expect The Unexpected It might seem like all the regulations permits and certificates are the tricky part. But at the end of the day knowing who youre selling to and what they plan to do with the seed can also be important. When youre new in an export market that is one of the first things Cull explains. Who do they know Who do they work with Cull says a trade partner could do several things that would be bad for a U.S. company. For example the importer could propagate the seed itself. Youre basically providing them with stock seed and its a one-time sale Cull says. He advises getting an attorney who can wade through the countrys laws to see what can and cant be part of the trade agreement. It might be possible to stipulate that the seed cannot be used for propagation. Its also possible that a The U.S. is probably one of the easiest countries to import seed into in the world. But theres usually a lot of problems with seeds for re-export. Ric Dunkle JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 55 Systems Equipment Over 30 years of experience with equipment design manufacturing and installation on every continent on the globe. We have done everything from the smallest laboratory system to complete large-scale seed coating plants. UNICOAT Polymers Colorants Seed coating polymers that provide a smooth even coverage keeping your profits with the seed not in the bag. Many color offerings as well asUNICOAT NUDEwhich gives the coated product a natural seed appearance. Custom blending products for specialized customer requirements. 3150 CCS Rotary Coating System Covering Your Seed Coating Needs. Systems Equipment Over 30 years of experience equipment design manufacturing and installation on every continent on the globe. We have done everything from the smallest laboratory system to complete large-scale seed coating plants. 3150 CCS Rotary Coating System Dave Waldo c 503-507-3499 . p 503-838-6568 e daveuniversalcoating.net . www.ucoatsystems.com company could try to make that stipula- tion only to find out that it isnt legally binding in the importing country. Cull says a seeds final destination is also something the exporter should be aware of. The U.S. has trade restrictions with some countries and it wouldnt be good for a companys seed to wind up in one of those places. If you sell to a broker in Country A and you know that the broker may turn around and sell it to Country B which has U.S. export restrictions you could be in a lot of trouble Cull says. A disreputable company could also mislabel seed or mislead consumers about the seed. For instance the com- pany could suggest that the seed is organic or GMO-free when it isnt. In the end your company produced the seed and has its name on the line. Exporters should be ready for random testing of shipments that have already gotten USDA approval. Dunkle says Mexico tests just about everything. In some cases a seed could be certified to be free from a particular pest but the importing country could find evidence of the pest upon its own inspection. Dunkle has also seen instances of countries requiring proof that seed is free from pests that arent associated with that type of plant. Common sense says that the exporter shouldnt have to bear the expense of proving that corn for instance is free from soybean cyst nematode. And he says ASTA can help with that process as well. Finally Cull shares that even within a country small things can make a big difference such as which port or air- port gets the shipment. He says a seed shipment that arrives at one airport in London usually sails through customs. But that same shipment could be stuck for a week or more at another airport in London. If youve got a successful path going from point A to point B stay on that path Cull says. SW KEY TAKE AWAYS FOR MOVING SEED ACROSS BORDERS 1. Check the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Phytosanitary Export Database PExD System. 2. Plan ahead. 3. Know the company you are doing business with. 4. Make sure contracts are legally binding in both or all countries. 5. If problems arise contact the USDA or American Seed Trade Association. WHEREON THE WEB APHIS Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System http1.usa.gov1HH9d2W In that case the seed test process is wrong for someone Dunkle says. Either theyre getting a false positive or were getting a false negative. When that happens he suggests working through the association. Its possible the test in the United States was inaccurate. But its also possible the test was performed incorrectly in the foreign market. 56 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Inside the ISF World Seed Congress THE INTERNATIONAL Seed Federation kicked off its 2015 World Seed Congress in Krakw Poland May 25-27 with more than 1600 seed industry professionals gathering to discuss issues that cross borders. The first South American ISF president Alvaro Eyzaguirre welcomed attendees to the 66th congress during the opening ceremony. The theme of this years congress was Sharing a Passion for Nature. It is incredible to think that something as small as the seed has such an incredible impact Eyzaguirre says noting the mag- nitude of the challenges that agriculture is up against climate change public misperceptions and the need to increase food produc- tion for a growing global population. Eyzaguirre adds that the lead- ership and members of ISF share a commitment to finding a solution to these challenges. He went on to say that ISF has a key role to play in uniting voices around the world. The demand for agriculture is unrelenting says Eyzaguirre. But people dont understand what ag is doing to serve the world. We can and will continue to contribute solutions for food security. During the opening ceremony participants learned about Polands history its seed industry and about ISFs future direction. Industry leaders recognize past successes yet call for change to further progress within the global seed industry. Communication and collaboration are key to moving ahead. Julie Deering Plant breeding and innovation is one of several key priorities for the association says Michael Keller ISF secrectary general. During the opening ceremony participants learned about Polands rich history and culture. Alvaro Eyzaguirre 2014-15 ISF president welcomes former presidents to the congress. Bogusaw Rzeznicki of Polands Department of Plant Breeding and Protection shares how agriculture is critical to the republics economy. In a letter to George Washington penned in 1787 Thomas Jefferson observed that Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth good morals and happiness. Jeffersons words are truer now than ever. For so many agriculture is a source of nourishment purpose and prosperity. At Bratney Companies we support the rich traditions of our countrys farming history and we will remain in constant pursuit of the innovations that help advance the agriculture industry. AGRICULTUREISSTILL OURWISESTPURSUIT Cimbria DS 1250 Drum Scalper SEA Color Sorter 3400 109th Street Des Moines IA 50322 800-247-6755 www.bratney.com 58 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 A Need for Change ISF Secretary General Michael Keller called for change during his first speech to the delegates of the 2015 World Seed Congress. ISF is changing and we changed a lot this year Keller said. Young and new people arrived but weve also kept the exper- tise and thats important. He emphasized that its important to be proud of the work done by predecessors throughout the federations 90 years of work. Keller asked participants if they knew what that meant. Its 90 years of life together 90 years of promoting your interests he said. Its about the movement of seed growing cleaning conditioning and marketing. Seed is moving around the world which he illustrated by showing a map that one might initially think of as a global airline flight map. This is not an airline flight map this is a map of seed movement today he explained. Welcome to the 21st century where we have more efficient breeding an increased number of tools increased political decisions as well as trade and market issues Keller said. We have a lot of challenges but the role of ISF is to turn these challenges into opportunities. Keller emphasized the need for a common vision regardless of company size geographic region or seed sector. Kellers vision is a world where the best quality seed is accessible to all He added that the staff and leadership at ISF are working to create the best environment for the global movement of seed and promote plant breeding and innovation in seed. Thats where we are working he said. That will be our daily work. He added that ISF must work to collaborate with national and with regional associations. Its about collaboration integrity and innovation he said. We have to be visible be engaged and be proactive. Keller emphasized that plant breeding and innovation is one of ISFs top priorities along with seed applied technologies the harmonization of phytosanitary measures royalty collection efficient intellectual property protection and the multilateral system of access and benefit sharing. We need harmonization among countries not over-regulation Keller said. And we need an access and benefit sharing system that takes into account business its not just about money. We are a strong association Keller said. Seed is Life thats our motto and will be forever. Collaborate and Communicate A veterinarian turned lawyer shared insights about communicat- ing science and technological advancements with the general public during the Breeders Committee meeting. We have a lot of challenges but the role of ISF is to turn these challenges into opportunities. Michael Keller Lewis M. 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We also have manual and fully automaac wweighing systems including bagging and robooc palleezing. 60 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Seed breeding provokes a conflict in values and faces romanticism said Jan Staman who serves as managing direc- tor for the Rathenau Instituut in The Netherlands. The Rathenau Instituut promotes the formation of political and public opinion on science and technology. As part of his presentation he encouraged the seed industry to check how disconnected it is from society. This is a big risk for the industry Staman said. This is my business and this is a crisis. This is the case with GMOs and the case with detecting genetic diseases in humans. Staman also noted that many of these new technologies have the ability to make more of a posi- tive impact which outweighs the possible risks posed. From his perspective the seed industry has done a good job of talking about the benefits of new technologies however it failed to talk about how these new technologies would totally change society. While some might blame politics for the rejection of new technologies Staman said politics are not going away. You need a political frame for decision-making which complies with societal pluralism he said. You have to be engaged with society and consumers. In a somewhat joking manner Staman said the focus shouldnt be citizens but consumers. He went on to say that citizens are loud-speaking political activists whom you cant trust and cant predict while consumers buy your product. Its important to note that the seed industry isnt alone in dealing with this issue. Staman shared that the animal husbandry pharma- ceutical and oil industries all find themselves in the same environ- ment when it comes to communi- cating innovation and science. To help the seed industry move forward in sharing its story about innovation and plant breeding Pablo Civetta chair of the National Organizing Committee for the Uruguayan seed association announced that the 2016 congress will be held in Punta del Este Uruguay from May 15-18. The theme of the 2016 World Seed Congress will be The Natural Way Forward in Business Life. Staman shared the following advice Do not communication but act and cherish trust. Do not immunize yourself as enlightened science- based savers of the world solvers of food security and enforcers of moral progress but go out of your comfort zone ask for help and stop saying new technology is modified old technology. Act and cherish your values and interests. For iden- tity you need confirmation and contestation. Investigate the conditions for a good lobby wrong friends clever friends isolated frame or trust problem. Carefully select your societal partners and together explore building a foundation for the future. And act. Seed Treatments Benefit Grass Is there a place for seed treatments in grass mar- kets That was one of the questions posed during the Forage and Turf Crops Section meeting. In the grass seed industry I think seed treatments can help to improve what is already a great prod- uct said Stephen Alderton of DLF France SAS who presented the topic. It will have some real benefits and could really help consumers whether they are a homeowner a sports field manager or a farmer. He or she can get the grass established much quicker and reap some real quality benefits from the resulting grass sward. Alderton explained that treated seed establishes faster and better in harsher environments. In tests grass seed with a nitrogen fertilizer coating averaged 30 percent more plants emerging he said. Even a year later you could still see the difference between plots where the seed received no treatment and those where the seed was treated. The treatment gives a better rootshoot extension. At the moment there are two main seed treatment options for grass seed. Theres a film coating option which Alderton said doesnt add much weight to the seed and theres a coating option which adds signifi- cant weight to the seed. These seem to be the most popular methods right now to get active material clos- est to the seed he said. The global grass seed market is estimated to be 770000 tons with the 28 nations of the European Union producing 200000 tons and North America producing 370000 tons. Others make up about 200000 tons. Of this about 50 percent is comprised of forage and 50 percent turf. To put this in perspec- tive Alderton said the U.S. wheat seed market alone is 1.5 million tons. The size of the market might be one area thats hampering investment Alderton added. Perhaps this is why we need some help with legislation so that it reflects the size of the market and the types of invest- ments we can put into it. One of the problems for our industry is that people think its just grass Alderton said noting that some of the ways this perception might be changed 1600 representatives attended the International Seed Federation 2015 World Seed Congress in Krakw Poland. 90 years is how long ISF has been working to promote the interests of the seed industry and improve the global movement of seed. 64 countries were represented at this years 2015 World Seed Congress. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 61 AGRICULTURE PLAYS KEY ROLE IN POLANDS ECONOMY A Polish plant breeding official recognized the seed industrys critical role in the republics economy during the the International Seed Federations 2015 World Seed Congress held May 25-27 in Krakw Poland. It is worth noting that Poland is the sixth largest country in the European Union says Bogusaw Rzeznicki of Polands Department of Plant Breeding and Protection. With a population of 38.2 million people agriculture employs more than 12 percent of the population. Poland is a world leader in the production of apples he says. We are also known for the production of cabbage onions and other leafy green vegetables. Karol Marciniak who served as the chair of the National Organizing Committee of the Polish Seed Trade Association highlights that Krakw is one of the most Polish academic cultural and artistic centers. Its also part of a growing economy Marciniak says noting that agriculture in Poland has experienced much growth in recent years. The last part of our economy depends on agriculture which is rooted in the seed industry. Despite this farms in Poland remain relatively small in comparison to the United States. About 52 percent of agricultural land and 56 percent of livestock comprise farms of less than 20 hectares or about 50 acres according to the latest data from Eurostat. Rzeznicki notes that the seed and farming sectors face global challenges. We need to produce more food he says adding that the industry needs to ensure the protection of intellectual property and bring new varieties to the market place that are better adapted to changes in the climate and the environment. Additionally Rzeznicki says work is under way to improve the access and benefit sharing mechanism of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. WHEREON THE WEB For complete coverage from the International Seed Federations 2015 World Seed Congress visit SeedWorld.comISFWorldSeedCongress2015. is by reducing the cost enhancing the product image increasing the yield improving persistency and improving quality or trace elements. What we are selling is not a gadget Alderton emphasized. It needs to work and be valuable to the user. With seed treatments Alderton said his team regularly gets a 25 percent increase in establishment rates in the seedling stage which is then trans- ferred through to all the mature grasses. In terms of what the farmer will see Alderton said its about 100 euros of increased return on his fields. Thats quite significant compared to the invest- ment he added. SW 62 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 AS THE AMERICAN Seed Trade Association remains diligent in its mis- sion to promote the research develop- ment and movement of quality seed so too does its Organic Seed Committee in its mission to connect organic growers with organic seed producers. The committee has approximately 100 members representing more than 60 companies nationwide. In its efforts to improve the U.S. seed industry the committee outlines three top priorities 1 ensuring the availability of organic seed for organic producers 2 facilitating the trade of organic seeds and 3 supporting the USDAs coexistence efforts. Since drafting comments to the National Organic Standards Board NSOB in 2002 we have worked with seed producers to ensure organic seed is available says Michelle Klieger ASTAs director international programs and policy. Were a key supporter of the Organic Seed Finder which helps con- nect seed producers and growers. The Need for Harmonization When it comes to facilitating the har- monization of organic standards with other countries ASTA has met with the Agriculture Market Services and the National Organic Program to encourage them to include seed in all harmonization discussions with other nations. The association also recently met with the Brazil Embassy to remind them of the importance of including seed in any harmonization discussions. Additionally ASTAs Organic Seed Committee outlines its three top priorities and how it will continue to educate growers and producers. Lisa Kopochinski Connecting Growers with Producers it works with the Foreign Agriculture Service and national seed associations to address individual issues that arise. For example the prohibition on exporting untreated seeds to Mexico has been a problem for our organic industry which produces organic crops in Mexico and then exports them back to the U.S. explains Ric Dunkle ASTAs senior direc- tor of seed health and trade. These pro- ducers need untreated seed but Mexico does not allow untreated seed in and produce from treated seeds cannot be certified organic. However last fall Mexico released its protocol for untreated seeds so there is now a system for untreated seeds to be exported to Mexico. This move is already proving beneficial for many companies. Coexistence efforts also remain impor- tant to the committee. ASTA has been an active participant in USDA discussions including at a coexistencestakeholders meeting in March. We explained best management practices to ensure growers get the seed they ordered says Klieger. This level of record keeping was an integral part of the seed industry before the introduction of biotechnology and continues today. Achieving these three top priorities is important to the committees mission. Our members can meet demand for organic seeds but producing them poses additional risks and costs above conven- tional seed Klieger says. Therefore seed companies want to find markets for their seed before producing it. The seed industry has been men- tioned in USDAs report on coexistence claiming there is insufficient seed to meet demand for organic and non- genetically engineered seeds. Our committee determined that the USDAs statement must be better defined Klieger says. Corn seed for feed is the only sector of concern. To determine the amount of avail- able corn seed for this market ASTA has hired a contractor to work with organic and non-genetically engineered seed producers to determine how much seed is available. After the report is finalized the association will share its findings with the National Organic Program which in turn will provide the USDA and the seed industry with quantitative data. ASTAs Organic Seed Committee has made great strides in its efforts and remains steadfast in its journey during the next one to three years in effectively communicating how organic seed is pro- duced and why it is more expensive than conventional seed. Seed producers need more than a year lead time to produce organic seed Klieger explains. Given the added costs associated with organic seed production and the limited shelf life of seed com- panies are not willing to produce seed before identifying buyers. This means that producers must place their orders early. This marketplace education will help both seed producers and organic growers. SW JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 63 Participate in a management education seminar created specifically for you a seed industry professional. Surrounded by your peers you will discuss what key factors are driving the industry and learn the concepts and tools you will need to be a successful leader. W W W. A G R I B U S I N E S S . P U R D U E . E D U F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N 64 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 RESEARCH SHOWCASE Welcome to Seed Worlds Research Showcase a new department within the magazine. This department is designed to bring more scientific information to readers as well as showcase the work being done by graduate students and their advisors. Economic Risk and Profitability of Soybean Seed Treatments at Reduced Seeding Rates Adam P Gaspar1 Paul Mitchell2 Shawn P Conley1 1 Dept. of Agronomy 2 Dept. of Ag. Applied Economics University of Wisconsin Madison About the Author Adam Gaspar is a graduate student in the Department of Agronomy at the University of Wisconsin Madison working under Shawn Conley pursuing a doctorate in agronomy. His current research and Extension activities include many aspects of modern Midwest soy- bean and wheat production. Gaspars research is very applied in nature and the resulting extension is targeted at the farm level where producers can immediately adopt research findings. The goal of my research is to increase crop production in an environmentally and economically sustainable fashion by improving crop management through the adoption of new practices and technologies. Introduction Earlier soybean planting coupled with increasing seed costs has led to a surge in the number of acres planted with seed treatments in the past decade Esker and Conley 2012. Yet as commodity markets have softened recently the return on investment ROI of seed treatments is even more vital to producers. Furthermore the compo- nents and relative cost of various soybean seed treatments has broadened greatly. Recent studies have suggested that growers should consider lowering seeding rates to increase their return on investment De Bruin and Pedersen 2008 Epler and Staggenborg 2008. This is attributed to the soybean plants potential compensatory ability at lower plant populations. Ultimately growers would like to know the value proposition of combining seed treatments with lowered seeding rates. Therefore the objectives of this study were to Quantify the effects of seed treatments and seeding rates on soybean yield. Assess the economic risk and profitability of seed treatments and seeding rates including the calculated economically optimal seeding rate EOSR for each seed treatment. ApronMaxx RFC and CruiserMaxx Syngenta Crop Protection seed treatments were used to achieve these objectives because they differ in their components and relative cost per unit. This study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 at nine Wisconsin locations totaling 18 site-years. All locations were planted in 15-inch rows within the first three weeks of May. Effects on Soybean Yield When pooled over all seed treatments the highest seeding rate 140000 seeds per acre yielded 64 bushels per acre which was significantly higher than all other seeding rates except 120000 seeds per acre. ApronMaxx showed no improvements in yield at any seeding rate com- pared to the untreated control UTC while CruiserMaxx provided increased yields at all seeding rates Figure 1. CruiserMaxx showed a trend of larger yield Figure 1. Yield bushels per acre of the three seed treatments across all seeding rates. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 65 increases as the seeding rate was lowered. We observed a 4 per- cent and 12 percent yield increase at 140000 and 40000 seeds per acre a respectively over ApronMaxx and the UTC Figure 1. Profitability and Economic Risk Partial profit was calculated as follows Yield x Grain Sale Price Seed Seed Treatment. CruiserMaxx increased profit at each grain sale price and across all seeding rates compared to ApronMaxx and the UTC Figure 2. Again no differences were observed between ApronMaxx and the UTC Figure 2. The economically optimal seeding rates EOSR or the high point on the profit curves for the three seed treatments and two grain sale prices are displayed at the bottom of Tables 1 and 2. Economic risk was applied to the profit curves Figure 2 where risk is measured as the break-even probability the probability of breaking even relative to the base case of UTC at 140000 seeds per acre and displayed in Tables 1 and 2 for soybean grain sale prices of 9 and 12 per bushel respectively. For example in Table 1 CruiserMaxx at 140000 seeds per acre had a 0.71 71 percent chance probability of increasing profit over the base case and on average for all outcomes all environ- ments increased profit by 10 per acre. In addition an average 18 per acre increase was observed for the positive outcomes and an average 11 per acre decrease for negative outcomes. The positive outcomes column represents responsive environments while the negative outcomes column represents non-responsive environments. Handling whats important. 877.667.7421 batcomfg.com Batco Belt Conveyors minimize impact damage protecting the grade quality and germination performance of your delicate seed. Batco manufactures Long Conveyors and Field Loaders as well as Low Profile Transfers Pit Stops and custom conveyor options. Batco Belt Conveyors minimize impact damage protecting the grade quality and germination performance of your delicate seed. Batco manufactures Long Conveyors and Field Loaders as well as Low Profile Batco Belt Conveyors minimize impact damage protecting the grade quality and germination performance of your delicate seed. Batco manufactures Long Conveyors and Field Loaders as well as Low Profile MINIMUM DAMAGE MAXIMUM GERMINATION At a grain sale price of 9 per bushel Table 1 ApronMaxx and the UTC obtained break-even probabilities greater than 0.50 at seeding rates of 100000 and 120000 seeds per acre. However the average profit increases for all outcomes was minimal less than 3 per acre. At this grain sale price UTC at 120000 seeds per acre had the lowest risk 0.91 of any treat- ment combination in Table 1 but again provided a relatively low average profit increase for all outcomes 3 per acre. Using seeding rates below 100000 seeds per acre was very risky for ApronMaxx and the UTC showing break-even probabilities less than 0.50 and negative average profit increases for all outcomes. CruiserMaxx produced break-even probabilities greater than 0.50 for all seeding rates except at 40000 seeds per acre and the average profit increase for all outcomes was greater than 17 per acre at seeding rate between 80000 and 120000 seeds per acre. Furthermore the lowest risk 0.89 and largest average profit increase for all outcomes 20 per acre with CruiserMaxx was at its EOSR 94000 seeds per acre. When the grain sale price was increased to 12 per bushel Table 2 ApronMaxx and the UTC required higher seeding rates greater than 120000 seeds per acre to achieve break- even probabilities greater than 0.50. Furthermore we again saw trivial average profit increases for all outcomes less than 2 per acre with ApronMaxx and the UTC. The lowest risk ApronMaxx treatment combination 0.52 was at its EOSR. However this only attained a 1 per acre average profit increase for all out- comes and a wide range of possibilities existed when accounting 66 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 for the average positive 19 per acre and negative -18 per acre outcomes. CruiserMaxx showed relatively high break-even probabilities greater than 0.76 for seeding rates between 80000 and 140000 seeds per acre with the lowest risk 0.87 and largest average profit increase for all outcomes 25 per acre at its EOSR 100500 seeds per acre. Figure 2. Partial profit per acre of the three seed treatments across all seeding rates. GRAIN SALE PRICE OF 12BUGRAIN SALE PRICE OF 9BU GRAIN SALE PRICE OF 9BU JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 67 REFERENCES De Bruin J.L. and P. Pedersen. 2008. Soybean seed yield response to planting date and seeding rate in the upper Midwest. Agron. J. 100 696-703. Epler M. and S. Staggenborg. 2008. Soybean yield and yield component response to plant density in narrow row systems. Online. Crop Management doi10.1094CM-2008-0925-01-RS. Esker P. and S.P. Conley. 2012. Probability of yield response and breaking-even for soybean seed treatments. Crop Sci 52351-359. Conclusion and Recommendations Our study found differences in yield profitability and economic risk due to seed treatment and seed- ing rate.Growers should account for their expected grain sale price and seed treatment use when determin- ing their seeding rate and additionally the components of the seed treatment should be considered. We found that reducing seeding rates when using no seed treatment or a fungicide only seed treatment ApronMaxx might be too risky and provided minimal profit gains. In contrast this study also showed that a fungicideinsecticide seed treatment CruiserMaxx reduced economic risk and increased profit across an array of environments seeding rates 80000 140000 seeds per acre and grain sale prices 912 per bushel. Furthermore to realize the lowest risk and highest profit increase with CruiserMaxx pro- ducers should con- sider lowering their seeding rates to the EOSR according to their expected grain sale price. The EOSR for CruiserMaxx ranged from 94000 to 101000 seeds per acre and was on average 16 percent 18000 seeds per acre less than ApronMaxx and the UTC across grain sale prices of 912 per bushel. For more information this research has been published in Crop Science with open access. GRAIN SALE PRICE OF 12BU 68 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 NATIONAL USDA DISAPPOINTED BY EPAS ANALYSIS OF NEONIC SEED TREATMENTS The United States Department of Agriculture USDA expressed disap- pointment regarding the Environmental Protection Agencys incomplete analysis on neonicotinoid seed treat- ments for soybeans and the burden its created for grow- ers. In October 2014 EPAs report indicated there are no clear or consistent economic benefits of neonicotinoid seed treatments in soybeans a conclusion USDA reported is not only false but has again put growers in a position where they must defend their pest management decisions. As a whole USDA disa- grees with that assessment according to a letter sent in April from USDA states to EPA. We believe that pest management strategies are made in consideration of pest pressures climate landscapeand numerous other factors. USDA stressed that growers should have the ability to use the best tools available to manage pests including choice in seed treat- ment and pest management tactics based on what works for individual situations. INTERNATIONAL GMO DEBATE REGULATORY HURDLES DISCUSSED AT SYNGENTA ANNUAL MEETING At the annual general meeting of Syngenta AG held in Basel Switzerland board chairman Michel Demar referenced recent debates and regula- tory hurdles that continue to REGULATORY ROUNDUP Keeping you informed of legislative and regulatory changes at the state national and international levels from lawsuits to approvals to other regulatory issues affecting your business. make doing business a chal- lenge for companies such as Syngenta. The future of our industry and of our company is still highly dependent on our license to operate in a world where we constantly face preconceived ideas and opposition about technology in agriculture Demar says. The polarized debate about pollinators and neonicotinoids in Europe and the conten- tious issue of the labeling of food containing genetically modified ingredients in the United States were just two issues which gained sig- nificant coverage in the past year. Syngenta continued to be active in this debate. SOYBEAN STAKE- HOLDERS MONETIZE DELAYS FOR BIOTECH APPROVALS A three-year postponement in the global approval of biotech-enhanced soybeans any time in the next 10 years would cost farmers and con- sumers nearly 19 billion compared to typical approval timelines according to a white paper funded by the International Soybean Growers Alliance ISGA. This research was released at a recent ISGA mission during which farm leaders from the United States Argentina Brazil and Paraguay met with Chinese government officials and influencers to discuss the economic implications of these delays for global pro- ducers and consumers of soy. COLOMBIA EASES PHYTOSANITARY IMPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR CANADIAN WHEAT Canadian wheat producers now benefit from greater export opportunities in Colombia Canadas seventh largest market for wheat. Continuous Canadian engagement has led Colombia to ease phy- tosanitary import require- ments for Canadian wheat effectively putting Canada on a level playing field with other exporting countries in this market according to the Canadian government. Canadian wheat produc- ers and exporters can now expand their sales into this market benefiting Colombian consumers who will have greater access to Canadas safe high-quality wheat. NEONIC CHANGES COME WITH 660 MILLION PRICE TAG FOR ONTARIO A new study by regulatory impact analysis firm RIAS Inc.shows that farmers in Ontario Canada will not be the only ones impacted by the proposed ban on neonicoti- noid pesticides. Ontario citizens are already saddled with hundreds of billions of dollars of debt and a10.5 bil- liondeficit saysTed Menzies CropLife Canada president and CEO. This study shows that not only will the proposed restrictions on neonics hurt farmers and the environment conservative estimates show it will also cost Ontarians more than660 millionannually and do absolutely nothing to help bees. Agriculture is the No. 2contributor to the prov- inces gross domestic product. Reducing corn and soybean yields inOntario which the provincial governments pro- posed regulations will do will have a direct impact on many other sectors of the economy Menzies says. RIAS estimates the proposed regulations on neonics would come with about26 millionworth of red tape costs. SW With eased phytosanitary import requirements Canadas wheat producers now have better access to the Colombian market. 70 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Exploring ideas and views on all aspects of the seed industry. FOUNDATION SEEKS TO RAISE MONEY FOR DROUGHT DOCUMENTARY Thirsty Land a new documentary that sets out to tell the story of drought its impact on agriculture communities and the global food supply is receiving support through a fiscal sponsorship from the AgChat Foundation. This allows the filmmaker to receive grants and other tax-deductible donations for the film project. The story of drought needs to be told says the filmmaker Conrad Weaver who is also responsible for the award-winning documentary The Great American Wheat Harvest. Our global food supply and our very survival of humans depends on clean abundant fresh water Weaver explains. I want to make the audience think about it every time they take a drink of water enjoy a shower or water their lawn. According to Jenny Schweigert AgChat Foundation executive director the foundations goals are two-fold to empower those in agriculture with the tools they need to develop meaningful conversations with consumers and to provide a conduit for our industry to connect with those who are not involved in farming or ranching. Weaver is launching a fundraising campaign for the new documentary through IndieGoGo.com with a goal of raising 25000 to help with the production of the film. TPA IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR ACHIEVING PROGRESS ON THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP. Ron Gray TPA PASSES SENATE DEBATE MOVES TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES With the May 22 passage of Trade Promotion Authority TPA legislation by the U.S. Senate the trade policy focus shifted to the U.S. House of Representatives. At the time of print no schedule had been announced for House action on TPA though vigorous debate and ultimately a close vote are expected. The Senates action is important progress but there is more work to do says Ron Gray U.S. Grains Council chairman. TPA is an essential tool for achieving progress on the Trans-Pacific Partnership TPP and other trade agreements that can give U.S. farmers additional market access. The TPP countries which include the United States Japan Canada and Mexico account for about 40 percent of world exports. An ongoing trade negotiation between the United States and European Union could also benefit from TPA opening that market to new sales. TPA legislation is intended to set Congressional priorities for negotiators and provide for regular consultation between negotiators and Congress. It would also establish a time-bound approval process in which Congress would vote up-or-down on a proposed agreement as a comprehensive package without amendment. FARMING IN SPACE IS IT POSSIBLE In December three twelfth-grade students from Germany will see their research blast-off to the International Space Station. Their research focuses on the ability to produce large quantities of quality vegetables on a space station. Under normal gravitational conditions cuttings can be used to reproduce plants. If cuttings could be used for the reproduction of plants in microgravity this would be a major step forward in the effort to supply long- term space flights with food from space farming. The question the students are attempting to answer is simple but groundbreaking Can cuttings grow their own root system without gravity to guide them The student research team is developing an experimental design. BASF is providing knowledge on how to keep the plants healthy and free from fungal disease during the 30 days in the ISS environment. The students will do an internship with experts at the BASF Agricultural Center in Limburgerhof Germany before conducting trials at Kennedy Space Center laboratories in Florida. TPA PASSES SENATE DEBATE MOVES TO With the May 22 passage of Trade Promotion Authority TPA legislation by the U.S. Senate Authority TPA legislation by the U.S. Senate Funded by the soy checkoff. High oleic soybeans are the top-performing varieties packed with innovation your end-use customers want. For industrial users high oleic provides higher heat stability for a renewable alternative to petroleum products. For you high oleic offers more market opportunities. Grow it now and you grow your profitability. Talk to your local seed rep for the best varieties in your area or visit SoyInnovation.com The yield you want the demand you need thats high oleic. 72 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 STATUS CHINA Chinese scientists have succeeded in isolating and cloning heat-tolerant genes from African rice strains which could help develop rice varieties that can withstand climate change. Lin Hongxuan an academic with the Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences says that high heat normally temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius 95 degrees Fahrenheit reduces rice production. Heat stress can strain rice proteins causing the plant to wither. Lins team found that a gene isolated from the African rice strain can automatically activate when heat strikes. It removes toxic proteins that accumulate and leads to plant death. Lin says his team has con- ducted field studies growing Asian rice strains with the transplanted gene that show the genes dominant traits enable the plant to withstand high temperatures. He explains the cloned gene can be transplanted to develop new varieties of rice wheat and cruciferous vegetables such as Chinese cabbage. Source Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. STATUS GHANA The Convention Peoples Party CPP and some Concerned Organizations went on a peaceful march world STATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe. The Chinese seed industry achieves breakthroughs in plant research and Mozambique makes progress on policy with the approval of confined field trials. Additionally the Irish seed industry welcomes its new president. Meanwhile the Plant Breeders Bill faces opposition in Ghana. to press home their demand against Monsanto and the GMO Plant Breeders Bill in Ghana. The protest on May 23 was to demand the withdrawal of the Plant Breeders Bill from Parliament. The groups argued that the passage of the bill into law would nega- tively impact the growth of agriculture in Ghana. A leading member of the CPP professor Agyemang Badu Akosa bemoaned the use of technology to endanger the safety of crops and conse- quently human lives. He says that this kind of technology might end up doing great disservice to us. You have to buy seeds every year. In addi- tion to the seeds you have to buy pesticides from the same company. And these pesti- cides will blight everything else except that seed. Is that the kind of agriculture that we want he asked. The general secretary of the CPP Ivor Greenstreet says the party will continue to push for the withdrawal of the Plant Breeders Bill from Parliament. We have been fighting for the independence of this nation and now we are fighting for the sovereignty of our seeds and our foods and also to allow the farmers to use the right seeds to feed our citizens he said. The communications direc- tor of the Food Sovereignty Ghana Kweku Andoh Baffour repeated the groups pledge to fight against the passage of the Plant Breeders Bill. However he denied that the protest was contemptuous to an ongoing case in court where they are seeking an order to prevent govern- ment or any state institution to create and promote the usage of genetically modi- fied seeds. Source Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. STATUS IRELAND John Dalton has been appointed as the new president of the Irish Seed Trade Association ISTA following its recent Annual General Meeting. Dalton of Daltons will serve a two-year term as the ISTA president. The incoming president will replace Tom Bryan of Boortmalt. Dalton is a former president of the Irish Grain and Feed Association and a current committee member. He is also a board member of the Cereal Association of Ireland and he has been managing director of John Dalton and Sons Ltd. Chancellors Mills for more than 25 years. According to ISTA the incoming president is keen to promote the role of ISTA for the gain of tillage farmers and growers across the country. In representing the commer- cial organizations within the seed industry we are ensur- ing that the best varieties and standards are adhered to for the good of Irish tillage farmers Dalton says. We strongly promote the use of only certified seed varieties JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 73 as this ensures Irish growers are using the best possible varieties for commercial gain while maintaining the integ- rity of our industry. Tom Bryan will serve as out- going vice president along with the new incoming vice president Jim Gibbons of Germinal Seeds from Horse Jockey Co. Tipperary. Established in 1914 ISTA rep- resents 16 companies in Ireland. The associations members represent the multi- pliers producers and distribu- tors of certified cereal seed. Having the most up-to-date technology and equipment to produce the best genetic seed is a key focus of ISTA to ensure the best varieties of seed are made available. Source Irish Seed Trade Association and AgriLand. STATUS MOZAMBIQUE Policy breakthroughs on transgenic research in Mozambique and Tanzania have led to approval of confined field trials CFTs and a more research-friendly regulatory framework. Mozambiques CFTs will be at the Instituto de Investigao Agrria de Moambique IIAM Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique research station at Chokwe about 125 miles north of the countrys capital Maputo. Next door in Tanzania a strin- gent policy that was prohibi- tive in terms of the onerous liability it placed on research- ers has been revised. What all this means is that the two countries which have been somewhat lagging behind on account of policy constraints can now more substantively engage in the Water Efficient Maize for Africa WEMA project. Inacio Maposs IIAMs director general says that Mozambiques Ministry of Agriculture had been renamed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. This he said was not just an exercise in words but underscored the impor- tance of projects such as WEMA. In Mozambique you cannot talk about food security without talking about maize he said. Statistics show that 95 percent of Mozambiques smallholders grow maize and that maize covers 40 percent of the land devoted to annual crops. Despite the recent break- throughs more remains to be done. In Kenya the 2012 ban on importation of genetically modified organisms is still in force. And while there has been remarkable progress in Tanzania and the policy is less stringent on transgenic research there is still more ground to be covered. The menace posed by the maize lethal necrosis MLN disease is a high priority given its threat to Africas food security. MLN diagnos- tics and management call for concerted action by all play- ers in the maize value chain with regulatory frameworks playing a key role. CIMMYT has an open call for MLN screening for the cropping season which started at the end of May. The WEMA project which is led by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation is in its second phase set to end in 2017. Source International Maize and Wheat Improve- ment Center. STATUS UGANDA Ugandas economy will make economic strides when it embraces biotechnology says Fred Omach the minis- ter of state for general duties in the ministry of finance. He believes that the countrys gross domestic product can add another 2 percent on the average annual 7 percent if biotechnology is embraced. There are several businesses already using biotechnology from the traditional ones such as beer companies to the modern ones such as Agro- Genetic Laboratories and BioCrops. Omach who opened the Uganda Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium UBBC stakeholders conference said that the Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill currently under review in parliament would have been passed in 2004 at latest since it ratified the Cartagena Protocol in 2001. The bill is intended to regulate research develop- ment and promotion of bio- technology in the country. Beatrice Anywar Kigum Member of Parliament and shadow minister for water and environment said the wind of technology was blowing and that the country needed to be prepared so as not to be left out. Source New Vision. SW 74 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 INDUSTRY NEWS Delivering the people industry business and product news you need to know. Submissions are welcome. Email us at newsissuesink.com. It took decades of work but University of Illinois research geneticist Ram Singh has managed to cross a popular soybean variety with a related wild perennial plant producing the first fertile soybean plants that are resistant to soybean rust soybean cyst nematode and other patho- gens. The research meanssoybean breeders now have access to dozens of new soybean lineages each with some of the traits of the wild Australian plants and the research continues. Scientists from BASF Crop Protection and the University of Gttingen in Germany have found a new insecticide target protein. The discovery marks the first identification of vanilloid receptors the TRPV ion channels transient receptor potential vanilloid as insecticide tar- gets. The results published in the journal Neuron could help to better manage insecticide resistance and have implica- tions for research and insecticide usage. By knowing the exact target of pymetro- zine and pyrifluquinazon the industry can better advise farmers on spray programs. The University of California Davisis giving local startups a leg up with a new business incubator space. The UC Davis-HM.CLAUSE Life Science Innovation Center combines the resources of the university and its cor- porate partnerHM.CLAUSE to provide laboratory facilities to help newly-formed companies take root in the region. Scientists at the University of Arizona and University of Illinois has yielded a low-allergen soybean with significantly reduced levels of three proteins respon- sible for its allergenic and anti-nutritional effects. The work is published in the journal Plant Breeding. After nearly a decade of crossbreeding each variety to the soybean reference genome called Williams 82 the team has produced a soybean that lacks most of the P34 and trypsin inhibitor protein and completely lacks soybean agglutinin. Beyond these characteristics the soy- bean is nearly identical to Williams 82. Theyve dubbed the new variety Triple Null. A research team from Canadian Light Sourcea synchrotron light science center hasimaged healthy and infected wheat spikes and florets to understand the development and progres- sion of Fusarium head blight. CLS usesthe brightest light in Canada millions of times brighter than the sun to get detailed information about the structural and chemical properties of materials at the molecular level with work ranging from mine tailing remediation to cancer research and cutting-edge materi- als development. Understanding how the fusarium infects the wheat plant will be a huge advantage to plant breeders trying to develop FHB-resistant varieties of wheat. It has long been thought that nutrients travel through all parts of the root to all parts of the plant where the roots behave much like simple sponges. However research published by Vernica Grieneisen of the John Innes Centre and Toru Fujiwara from the University of Tokyo challenges the current understanding of plant nutrient absorption through the roots. This research shows that individual sections of the root have distinct roles in nutrient uptake to ensure proper plant development. A deeper under- standing of such maps of nutrient transporters across the root could lead to the development of plants that absorb more or less of specific nutrients from the soil depending on region-specific environmental conditions. The Seed Biotechnology Center at the University of California Davis will host Program Management for Plant Breeders Sept. 22-24 at its Davis campus. The short-course is designed to enhance the management skills of professional scientists who lead and direct plant breeding and laboratory programs in modern agricultural research and development operations. To learn more view the website or contact Sally Mohr at sjmohrucdavis.edu or 530-752-5775. PHOTOKARINHIGGINS. This research shows that individual sections of the root have distinct roles in nutrient uptake to ensure proper plant development. JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 75 Seed and grain cleanerS for the world Crippen Northland Superior Supply Co. 8-851 Lagimodiere Blvd. Winnipeg MB Ph 204-925-6141 www.northlandsuperior.com Air Screen Cleaners Indented Cylinder Length Separator Gravity Separator PEOPLE NEWS Nufarm Limited appoints chief operating officer and acting CEO Greg Hunt as its new managing director and CEO effective immediately. Nufarm chair- man Donald McGauchie says Hunt was appointed following a global search for a successor to long-time managing director and CEO Doug Rathbone who stepped down in early February. Hunt had been acting CEO since that time. Californias Pinnacle Seed welcomes Mike Koda to its team as manager of research and development. In this role Koda will be responsible for the development of new high-yielding lettuce varieties. Previously Koda served as seed production man- ager at Progeny Advanced Genetics and research associate at Plant Sciences Inc. Wayne Smith is the new chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation headquar- tered in Florham Park New Jersey. He succeeds Hans Engel who as CEOfor BASF SE will relocate to the companys global headquarters in Ludwigshafen Germany to assume additional responsi- bilities on the board of executive direc- tors. In addition to his role as CEO and chairman of BASF Corporation Smith will be responsible for the catalysts coatings and performance materials divisions. MinnesotasThunder Seed hires Krista Kappes as its new customer service representative. Starting as a student while earning a bachelors degree in agricul- tural communications from North Dakota State University Kappes began working full-time in May. In this role she will be responsible for developing grower and dealer relationships as part of Thunder Seeds sales marketing and service department. Kappes brings more than four years of experience in the agriculture and seed industry providing her the skills needed to build key relationships. Advanta an international supplier of proprietary agricultural crop genetics and seed hires James Puent and Caleb Stewart as sales account managers. Puent will be responsible for sales of Phoenix seed corn in Northwest Kansas and Stewart will be responsible for sales in southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma. In their roles they will offer agronomic and technical support to customers through on- farm consultation and product training. Pennsylvanias TA Seeds promotes two personnel to meet increasing customer needs and long-term goals. Steve Reeder has been promoted to production manager and is responsible for corn and soybean seed production as well as the warehousing of all TA Seeds products. Tyler Shaffer has been promoted to plant manager and is responsible for seed corn and soybean process- ing and conditioning including all combinations of seed treat- ment. TA Seeds also welcomes Bruce Ulmer as general manager. Bryan Decker joins the La Crosse Seed sales team and will cover northeastern Wisconsin. Decker will assist customers with their forage turf and cover crop seed needs. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Madison Decker earned a bachelors degree in agronomy. NewLeaf Symbiotics a biotech company commercializing plant health and nutrient technologies appoints Sarita Chauhan as director of fermentation and technology development. Chauhan joins the company from Decision Alternatives an ag biotechnology consulting company that she founded in 2011. She will work at NewLeafs St. Louis facility in the Bio Research Development Growth Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center. 76 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Belt Conveyor Hopper Clearance 7 12 19.05 cm Canvas Collapsed Hopper Intake Size 35 x 65 88.9 x 165.1 cm Available in 36 and 50 lengths. Gentle handling to maintain seed quality. Exclusive belt alignment guide rollers to maintain belt tracking. 7-12 10.05 cm low profile hopper for easy unloading from hopper bottom trailers. Support wheels at intake end standard for maneuvering. Capable of handling commodity products in addition to seed handling. Ideal for receiving from bin unloaders. The low profile receiving hopper with collapsible spring supported canvas. Low Profile Commodity Conveyors Capacity of up to 5000 BPH 135 TPH To learn more about the Hutchinson Belt Conveyor call us today at 1-800-523-6993. P.O. Box 629 Clay Center Kansas 67432 Ph. 785 632-2161 FAX 785 632-5964 www.hutchinson-mayrath.com THE WORLD OVER MOVES A WORLD OF GRAIN utchinsonH IND USTRIES I NC. www.facebook.comhutchinsonmayrath Follow our Hutchinson-Mayrath channel H-216C.indd 1 42214 1015 AM After accepting a position with another California-based com- pany Mac Keely resigns as president and general manager of INCOTEC North America. Until a suitable successor is found INCOTECs Henk Satter will temporarily move to California and serve as acting president and general manager. BUSINESS NEWS In early May Syngenta rejected an initial offer from Monsanto to take over its operations. Syngentas board of directors in conjunction with its legal and financial advisers has undertaken a thorough review of all aspects of Monsantos offer and has unanimously determined to reject Monsantos proposal as it is not in the best interests of Syngenta its shareholders and its stakeholders according to a company statement. Monsanto issued a follow-up statement confirming it had approached Syngenta with a private proposal to Syngentas board of direc- tors to acquire Syngenta for 449 Swiss franc CHF per share. Monsanto believes the combined company would be uniquely positioned to deliver a comprehensive suite of integrated solu- tions to farmers around the world and to accelerate techno- logical innovation through precision agriculture and advanced research and development capabilities aimed at increasing the worlds food supply in a sustainable fashion shares Monsanto in a statement. As part of its commitment to support growers throughout the Great Plains and worldwide Bayer CropScience celebrates the grand opening of its Beaver Crossing Breeding and Trait Development Station near Lincoln Nebraska. Research and development activities at the 17 million state-of-the-art facility will help the company deliver breakthrough wheat and soybean varieties with improved technologies and genetics. Wyffels Hybrids installs new drying and packaging equipment at its Atkinson Illinois production facility. The improvements increase air flow drying more corn in the same amount of time. New packaging equipment includes a state-of-the-art line with a high-capacity robotic bagger and palletizer. The new equipment weighs moves prints labels sews and fills bags and wraps pallets. The mechanization will increase the number of bags per minute that are processed by nearly 40 percent. Dow AgroSciences Arcadia Biosciences and Bioceres S.A. agree to develop and commercialize innovative soybean traits. According to the companies the collaboration leverages Dow AgroSciences technology regulatory expertise and commercial seed capabilities with a leading soybean abiotic stress plat- form and unique grower relationships in South America repre- sented by Verdeca LLC a joint venture between Arcadia and Bioceres. Under the collaboration the companies will develop new soybean traits using DowAgroSciences EXZACTPrecision Technology platform to generate stacks. For the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 that ended March 31 2015 SW Seeds reported record revenue of 30.5 million com- pared to 8.1 million for the same period of the previous year. The increase in revenue was primarily attributable to sales under Contact us Today Ask for Erick at 800-992-2824 ext 111 erickks-ka.com www.krautersolutions.com Your Seed is in Good Hands Climate-Controlled Storage Growth Chambers New Retrofitted Systems Our patent-pending Krauter Solutions JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 77 Multi-purpose Re-Useable Waterproof Glues Used Sift Resistance Built In Rugged 100lb. Tag Stock Construction Easy To Use Fold-In Flaps Fold-Down Tuck-In 2802 Hedberg Drive Hopkins MN 55305-3405 Ph 952 545-7124 Fax 952 545-0196 With SPEAR Its In The Bag. SeedGrain Special Safety Envelopes For Sampling and Storage. Call or Send For Free Sample Kit Prices Gummed and Ungummed Coin Envelopes Available For a catalog call 303.431.7333 salesapplewoodseed.com applewoodseed.com Seeds of Wildflowers Garden Flowers Since 1965 Regional Special Use Custom Mixtures Hundreds of Species in Stock the companys distribution and production agreements with DuPont Pioneer. Nuseed has partnered with Legend Seeds to distribute its proprietary line of sunflowers in the United States. Through the partnership Nuseed with breeding and testing locations in Breckenridge Minnesota and Woodland California increases its exposure with Legends seven-state dealer network. Legend Seeds will market sunflowers under the Nuseed brand with Nuseed providing marketing and agronomic support. Novozymes reports that 2015 first quarter sales grew by 8 percent organically and by 18 percent in Danish krone DKK compared to first quarter 2014. Earnings before interest and tax EBIT grew by 6 percent and the EBIT margin was 27.4 percent. Adjusting for the one-time impact from The BioAg Alliance in first quarter 2014 EBIT grew by 20 percent and the EBIT margin expanded by 1 percentage point compared with first quarter 2014. According to company leaders the EBIT margin expansion was mainly due to currencies. Net profit grew by 2 percent and free cash flow before acquisitions came in at DKK 610 million. In the first quarter of 2015 higher volumes and positive currency effects led to sales growth for BASFs crop protection business. Compared with the first quarter of 2014 sales grew by 3 per- centto 20.1billion. Sales in theAgricultural Solutions segment rose by 15 percent to 1.9billion as a result of increased contribu- tions from Europe and North America. Bayer CropScience and Flagship Ventures form a strategic innovation partnership which includes an investment in Flagship Ventures Fund V a 537 million venture capital fund that closed in March 2015. Flagship Ventures is a leading venture capital and venture creation firm. In its first quarter financial results Land OLakes reports quar- terly net sales of 3.8 billion and net earnings attributable to Land OLakes of 99.4 million for the period ending March 31. The crop inputs segment which includes WinField Solutions reports strong performance for the quarter with strong volumes in alfalfa and favorable seed margins. PRODUCT NEWS BioWorks Inc. launches two new versions of RootShield biologi- cal fungicide RootShield Seed Treatment and RootShield AG. RootShield Seed Treatment helps shield seeds from patho- gens in the soil during early development stages. RootShield AG protects crop roots from many pathogens including pythium rhizoctionia fusarium thielaviopsis and cylindrocladium. Agdia commercializes a new ELISA assay for detection of the Vip3A protein expressed in transgenic corn event MIR 162. The Agdia Vip3A ELISA is a complete kit including antibody-coated microtiter plates enzyme conjugate positive control and extrac- tionwash buffers. Using a common extraction process and short incubation steps the entire test is completed in less than two hours. SW 78 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 SINCE1915 ThefirstissueofSeedWorldwaspublishedin1915.Heretheeditorswilltakeyoubackintimeto explorethenumbersnewsandissuesthatimpactedtheseedindustryallcoveredbySeedWorld. 1915 1920 1925 1926 1930 1935 1936 1939 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1961 1965 1970 1975 1980 1984 1985 1986 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 The first hybrid seed corn company is formed. Using cytoplasmic male sterility the first hybrid crop cultivar an onion is developed. Cytoplasmic male-sterile millet is developed and by 1965 Indian scientists develop a new hybrid from these seeds that yields 88 percent more grain than common millet. A MOMENT IN TIME This cover shows an aerial view taken May 19 1939 of the heart of down- town Oklahoma City. At the extreme right is the Oklahoma-Biltmore Hotel which served as headquarters for the Southern Seedsmens Association convention June 5-7 that year. Certified seed a relatively new concept in the 1930s and its importance was a major topic of discussion. At this meeting Earl Pages association president recommended that the seed industry concentrate its efforts toward securing the removal of farmer exemption clauses in all seed laws. He the farmer grower of seed crops knows that if the seed is foul and the conscientious seedsman reduces his bid to allow for cleaning loss and expense he can still sell the seed to his neighbor weeds and all with the blessing and sanction of the law Pages says. FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THIS 1939 ISSUE 400000 is the estimated cost of a new building in New York City for the United States Department of Agriculture. 62 million acres will be the wheat allot- ment in 1940 according to the federal government. 25 percent of field seed is supplied by the American seed trade. 35 Illinois farmers are prosecuted for violations of the seed law. 704 million bushels of wheat is the national forecast for the crop. Hycrest the first interspecific hybrid of crested wheatgrass is released. Sunflower hybrids that produce an oil high in oleic acid are developed. From this genetic material NuSun hybrids are created. 800-333-9048 AdvantaUS.com USA Argentina India Thailand Indonesia Australia WELCOME TO OUR TEST PLOT 2014 Advanta US Inc. ADV-13-002b SW The only way to tackle the worlds food challenge is by using a global perspective. Thats why Advanta has developed a worldwide network of researchers and test facilities to scour the globe for the best traits and germplasm. Then we bring the worlds most exciting plant traits to North America to help make the planets most productive growers even better. When you partner with a global player like Advanta you open up a whole world of possibilities for your seed offerings. CALL US FOR A TOUR NEAR YOU 800-333-9048 80 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 Elevate the Value of Grasses TEN THOUSAND thats how many types of grass exist in the world and they come in a wide range of sizes. In making my point grass is common and can be found just about everywhere. Grasses provide many benefits including conserving water and helping to clean the air keeping homes cooler and serving as a source of food for people and livestock. Despite these benefits it seems that many who plant grass seed and even those who sell it dont see the value in caring for it as you would other crops such as vegetables. From my perspective there are two primary parties at play end-users and the seed industry. Lets start with the end-users. Customers have high expectations when they plant grass seed as they should but most arent willing to put in the work. Customers expect perfection with no effort instant gratification. They dont realize that it takes weeks and months to get a yard looking like the ones on television. They fail to understand that seed is a living thing that must be cared for. If you dont water and fertilize it the seedlings will shrivel up and die. In the eyes of the customer the problem is always with the seed. To help protect ourselves from claims such as this we at The CISCO Companies keep sam- ples on file for two to three years. When we send it off to the lab if it comes back with a 93 percent germina- tion rate you know the problem is not the seed. Theres also a misunderstanding that all grass varie- ties are the same. They might not recognize that some varieties such as bluegrass naturally grow slower. Additionally some people use seed in a number of dif- ferent areas that they shouldnt. As you can see there are several factors working against us. As an industry we need to do a better job of educating end-users about the benefits of grasses help them to understand that not all grasses are the same and work to deliver increased value to each customer. I realize this does not come without its chal- lenges but if we did a better job of educating consum- ers the entire industry would benefit. Ninety-nine percent of problems are related to weather or because the customer didnt follow instruc- tions. Theres this mindset that they can just throw the seed out and walk away. We have to change that. Farmers too have not been as diligent in caring for the seed once its been planted. However in the past five to 10 years farmers have become more business minded which has changed their buying approach. Now theyre looking to purchase more quality prod- ucts. Weve found that like many other products if a customer pays a premium he is more likely to take better care of it. Think of how you might treat a brand new car fresh out of the factory versus an old beater. Youve got to take care of it and not just the first year. Avoid Selling Cheap Seed When it comes to the industry its clear that new products hitting the market are driven by end-users. As of late theres been quite a bit of research on farm seed. Weve also been working on new clovers and orchardgrass. Two of those end-users are the dairy and horse industries which have consolidated but they demand better products. Look at the corn and soybean sectors. Companies have invested billions of dollars they are not going to sell seed on the cheap. For the system to work every- body has to make money. Over the years its been a tragedy that companies have been reluctant to add value to grass seed because someone else with some- thing similar will undercut you or the fear of not being able to get a return on your investment. The grass seed industry is extremely competitive and in general we all have similar products. The thinking within our industry is that if I sell for a quarter cheaper I might sell a million pounds more. Its about moving quantity not quality. This too is a mind- set that needs to change. Grass seed has value and we as an industry must learn to sell its attributes whether it grows better in a specific climate or it has no weed seed. How much value does that add A 10 percent margin increase could mean a lot. Weve tried to create value here with our products providing better seed. We even help retailers market it. Ive been in the business for 25 years and I would love to see the seed industry supply more high qual- ity seed. If we as an industry can add value to grass seed and change this mindset weve been stuck in for decades we will all rise with the tide. SW DAVID PEARL Ownerpartner of The CISCO Companies Customers expect perfection with no effort ... They fail to understand that seed is a living thing that must be cared for. David Pearl QUALITY EDUCATION Interactive Cutting Edge Dynamic European Plant Breeding Academy IVSM October 2015June 2017 Six 1week sessions located in Gent Belgium Angers France Gatersleben Germany Enkhuizen The Netherlands Almeria Spain Davis CA USA Currently accepting applications Contact jpattersonucdavis.edu Seed Business 101SM Field Crops Chicago IL USA December 48 2015 Horticulture Davis CA USA December 711 2015 Program Management for Plant BreedersSM Davis CA USA September 2225 2015 Contact sjmohrucdavis.edu pba.ucdavis.edu sbc.ucdavis.edu Meridian Augers Plus First in Innovation Years of Excellence www.meridianmfg.com Celebrating 25 years of innovative handling solutions with Meridian Seed Tenders. Meridian Seed Tenders revolutionized planting and seed handling of corn and soybeans with its innovative design Celebrating 50 years of innovative storage solutions with Meridian SmoothWall Bins. Meridians SmoothWall and hopper design revolutionized on farm storage of feed grain seed and fertilizer. Celebrating over 65 years of innovative handling solutions with Meridian Augers. Meridians continuous flighting system and commitment to quality set a standard of excellence unmatched in the industry. Watch Our Videos Online www.meridianmfg.comvideos Find your nearest dealer at call 800 437-2234 Meridian Manufacturing Inc. Registered Trademarks Used Under License. World Class Quality. Locally Made Relationships. Innovation and Performance Tested Through theYears Meridian Augers Plus First in Innovation Years of Excellence www.meridianmfg.com Celebrating 25 years of innovative handling solutions with Meridian Seed Tenders. Meridian Seed Tenders revolutionized planting and seed handling of corn and soybeans with its innovative design Celebrating 50 years of innovative storage solutions with Meridian SmoothWall Bins. Meridians SmoothWall and hopper design revolutionized on farm storage of feed grain seed and fertilizer. Celebrating over 65 years of innovative handling solutions with Meridian Augers. Meridians continuous flighting system and commitment to quality set a standard of excellence unmatched in the industry. Celebrating over 65 years of innovative handling Watch Our Videos Online www.meridianmfg.comvideos Find your nearest dealer at call 800 437-2234 Meridian Manufacturing Inc. Registered Trademarks Used Under License. World Class Quality. Locally Made Relationships. Innovation and Performance Tested Through theYears