Gaining Access to Seed Information
The new and improved SeedConnect web portal is a one-stop-shop for critical seed information.
As the seed industry evolves and becomes an increasingly global market, knowledge of new technologies and products, regulatory approvals and research breakthroughs happening around the globe is critical. However, sorting through all of the information from the various regional websites, newsletters and magazines reporting on the seed industry can be painstaking and take countless hours in a day.
It’s not the quantity of information that matters, but the quality and ease of access, which is the idea behind SeedConnect, a web portal for the global seed industry that exclusively posts digital versions of leading international seed industry magazines. Originally launched in 2010, SeedConnect has evolved to keep up with the pace of change in the industry.
“With some valuable feedback from users, SeedConnect has been revamped and improved to better serve readers’ needs. It is still a user-friendly, cost effective way to get the business-critical information seed professionals are looking for, but there are some new features we are really excited about,” says Shawn Brook, president of Issues Ink, the publishing and communications company that developed the website.
One new feature of the site is that a notification email is immediately sent to all subscribers when new content is posted to the site, so they can access the information they need in a timely fashion. In addition, the digital versions of the magazines are posted to the site before print copies reach mailboxes, ensuring subscribers receive first access to the content, which in today’s competitive environment can be just the edge a company needs.
“People are looking for information now, not ten minutes from now, and they want it at their fingertips,” says Brook. “SeedConnect is a one-stop-shop for global seed news and information that can be viewed via laptop, iPad or smartphone from the office, car, airport or airplane.”
In addition, Brook says there will be exclusive web content that only subscribers will have access to, as well as direct links and full access to the websites of each participating magazine.
SeedConnect’s key partners are Seed World, the leading source of information on issues facing the American seed industry; Germination, which serves the Canadian seed industry; Seed News, which focuses on the South American seed industry; and the recently added China Seed News, which serves the rapidly growing Asian industry.
“Right now the focus is on North America, South America and Asia, but we are working to develop partnerships in Europe, Africa and Australia as well, to create even more relevant information for seed industry professionals pursuing a global business path,” says Brook.
Julie McNabb
