American Takii, Inc., breeder and producer of vegetable and flower seeds, pledges a gift of $100,000 toward the $2.5 million fundraising goal set to establish an endowed chair position at the Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC), UC Davis.
The announcement was made on Sept. 30 at the California Seed Association (CSA) mid-year meeting in Monterey, California. Steve Wiley, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of American Takii, Inc., addressed the gathering of 150 seed producers, seed dealers, government agencies and academics about the significance of their gift.
“Takii has been a supporter of UC Davis and the Seed Biotechnology Center since its founding in 1999,” Wiley said, “We wish to provide this gift to the Kent J. Bradford Endowed Chair specifically to provide continuing financial support for a faculty member who will be focused on seed biology and technology, as well as serve as the director of the Seed Biotechnology Center. These activities provide the agricultural industry with technological advancements that benefit our industry and humanity as a whole.”
This gift brings the amount raised to $640,000 of the $2,500,000 from four donors. HM Clause made the lead gift of $500,000. Takii has now given $200,000 having made a previous gift of $100,000 to help establish the SBC.
The Seed Biotechnology Center at the University of California, Davis, recently called on members of the agriculture, biotechnology and seed industries to help meet a $2.5 million fundraising goal set to establish an endowed chair position at the center. The position is being created in honor of Dr. Kent Bradford, the center’s founder and director, and a plant sciences professor.
