Alexandria, Virginia, USA
February 29, 2012

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) in partnership with the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) will host an educational unit for seed industry representatives and individuals interested in learning about cereal, seed and grain trade in North America March 22 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

“With recent changes to the Canadian regulatory and marketing systems, the optimism for cereals and cereal seed is higher than it has ever been,” said Patty Townsend, CSTA chief executive officer. “Companies need to better understand how the regulatory and trading environments will change in order to best capture these new opportunities for cereals and cereal seed.”

To help people better understand these changes, the Future Seed Executives (FuSE) put together an educational unit that will provide an overview of the regulatory and commercial aspects of cereal, seed and grain trade between Canada and the United and how it will change in a post Canadian Wheat Board environment.

FuSE is an ASTA initiative designed to help provide educational opportunities to early career individuals in the seed industry.

The unit will begin with a CSTA-hosted reception March 21 at 7 p.m. with the first session beginning at 8 a.m. March 22 at the Canadian Grains Commission. Registration for the educational unit is due March 16 and is available online at www.cigi.ca/csta-asta%20fuse.htm. Registration costs $100 for ASTA and CSTA members and $150 for non-members. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Winnipeg Fort Gary Hotel, located at 222 Broadway R3C 03R, at a rate of $107 per night. For hotel reservations, call 800-665-8088.

Participants will have the opportunity to tour the Canadian International Grains Institute and the Canadian Grain Commission’s laboratories. Lunch will be provided, at which time a FuSE representative will give a brief overview of the committee’s mission and activities.

A few of the topics and speakers include: An overview of the Canadian International Grains Institute by Earl Geddes, CIGI executive director; an overview of the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency by Mike Scheffel, Agency Seed Section national manager; and changes in seed and grain trade in a post Canadian Wheat Board environment by Milton Boyd, University of Manitoba professor of agricultural economics.

“We are very excited to provide a firsthand opportunity for young professionals in both the United States and Canada to learn about the logistics of how seed, cereals and grain are moved between the two countries,” said Liz Pestow, FuSE Committee chair. “It is not only a learning opportunity, but a chance for individuals to get out of their normal environment and network with other industry colleagues.”

For questions and additional information, please visit the FuSE webpage at www.amseed.org/mtg_fuse_edunits.asp or send an email to fuse@amseed.org.
 

Website: http://www.betterseed.org/

Published: February 29, 2012