EPA Unlikely to Approve New Outdoor Neonic Uses
As part of what it says is an ongoing effort to protect pollinators, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has sent letters to registrants of neonicotinoid pesticides with outdoor uses informing them […]
Researchers Discover How Plants Respond to Stress
Researchers at New York’s Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research have taken a first step in understanding how plants respond to stress, with the eventual goal of creating crops that are more tolerant […]
Study Finds Insecticide Use Surges Due to Neonics
Use of neonicotinoid insecticides increased dramatically in the mid-2000s and was driven almost entirely by the use of corn and soybean seeds treated with the pesticides, according to researchers at […]
U.K. Company Sues Bayer Over Seed Coating Technology
Exosect Ltd., a provider of enabling technologies based in the United Kingom, has initiated legal proceedings against Bayer CropScience Inc. for alleged infringement of its Canadian patent that relates to, among other […]
Benson Hill, Limagrain Partner to Increase Corn and Wheat Yields
Missouri’s Benson Hill Biosystems and Limagrain are partnering to develop and commercialize traits to increase corn and wheat yields. The collaboration and commercial partnership will involve significant contributions by both parties […]
Bayer CropScience Supports Roadside Pollinator Plantings
Bayer CropScience pledged $100,000 to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to be used for the development of roadside pollinator plantings this spring. The project will provide approximately 46 new […]
Illinois Foundation Seeds Announces CEO’s Retirement
Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. announced that John Hiser will retire as CEO effective Oct.1. Chief financial officer George Terry will succeed Hiser as CEO. Terry has more than 39 years of experience with […]
Bayer CropScience Opens Breeding and Trait Development Station
Bayer CropScience celebrated the grand opening of its Breeding and Trait Development Station in Pikeville, North Carolina. The $6.3 million state-of-the-art facility is part of Bayer CropScience’s commitment to extend […]
Monsanto Earnings Fall in Second Quarter
With half its fiscal year complete, Monsanto Company highlighted progress on key milestones related to its long-term growth, including strong performance of Intacta RR2 PRO soybeans, advancement of pre-commercial activities […]
Study Identifies Corn Varieties Resistant to Fusarium Ear Rot
In a study conducted by the University of the Philippines Los Baños, 12 corn varieties and inbred lines showing resistance to ear rot caused by fusarium have been identified from […]
Discovery Might Lead to More Efficient Crop Plants
Scientists at Oklahoma’s Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation with colleagues from Germany and Spain have made a discovery that will change the way researchers view messenger RNA (mRNA) and could aid the […]
Giant Views: John Palmer Discusses CCIA’s Role in the Seed Industry
At the Pacific Seed Association’s annual convention in Maui, Hawaii, John Palmer, executive director of the California Crop Improvement Association, sits down with Issues Ink President Shawn Brook to discuss […]
Giant Views: Rob Duerst of Ioka Marketing Talks Technology
Ioka Marketing LLC’s Rob Duerst, senior vice president of processing and marketing, sits down at the Pacific Seed Association’s 2015 A Convention in Maui, Hawaii, to talk about technology adoption […]
Bill Talley Owner, Summit Seed Coatings
Bill Talley sits down with Issues Ink President Shawn Brook at the 2015 Annual PSA Convention in Maui, Hawaii from March 2-4, 2015.
Reaction Mixed to European Patent Board Decision
Reaction was mixed to the decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) of the European Patent Office, which determined that plants or plant products produced by conventional breeding are not excluded from […]
JanWillem Breukink Retires from Incotec Board
Effective April 1, Incotec’s former CEO JanWillem Breukink announced that he will retire from the company’s board of directors. The decision is in accordance with the transition process the Netherlands-based […]
Uncertainty Looms in a Post-Patent World
In transitioning to a period when more biotech traits come off patent, many questions remain unanswered as the Canadian seed industry navigates new waters. _x000D_ _x000D_ When Monsanto’s patent protection […]
The Hunt for Analysts
The seed testing industry works to overcome challenges. _x000D_ One might not think the seed testing industry and an international chain of convenience stores have much in common. But according […]
Scientists Discover Why Plants Bloom Earlier in a Warming Climate
Scientists at the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom discover why the first buds of spring come increasingly earlier. Researcher Steven Penfield found that plants have an ideal temperature for […]
Proteins Act Like Microscopic Gas Springs Inside Cells
Together with colleagues in Germany and Amsterdam, researchers at the Laboratory of Cell Biology of Wageningen University have shown how the disorderly movement of proteins provides directed forces in cells. […]
Monsanto Partners to Support Monarch Butterfly
Monsanto Company commits to supporting the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and its Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund. As the first company to contribute to NFWF’s Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund, […]
Growing Toward the Future
Starting from scratch, an Ontario seed grower continues to build his business and pay it forward. _x000D_ Three decades ago, Dave Baute made the decision to change his career and […]
FBI Uses Surveillance Act to Gather Seed Theft Evidence
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has invoked its authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to gather evidence against two Chinese men accused of plotting to steal patented corn […]
Syngenta Suing Willowood Over Seed Treatment
Syngenta is suing Oregon-based chemical maker Willowood for alleged patent and copyright infringement, as well as unfair and deceptive trade practices. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the […]
Researchers Discover Important Plant Protein
Genetic research led by Japan’s RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science uncovered a novel protein, PUB4, that regulates cell division in root tips. Plant growth requires precise coordination between cell […]
Cornell Aims to Get Next-Gen Seeds to African Farmers
A new Cornell University initiative helps ensure that new seed varieties with higher yields make it through the supply chain from breeders to African farmers. The African Seed Access Index […]
Bee-Tracking Technology Could Help Scientists
Kew Gardens, London’s Royal Botanic Gardens, is collaborating with tech company Tumbling Dice Ltd to trial a 4.8 mm x 8 mm-sized microchip that can be glued to bees to track […]
Kansas Wheat Commission Invests in Celiac-Safe Wheat Research
The Kansas Wheat Commission invests $200,000 in a two-year project headed by Chris Miller, the senior director of research, innovation and quality at Engrain. Miller is laying the groundwork for a celiac-safe […]
Australian Scientist Requests Open Access to Plant Genomes
A plant scientist from Australian National University (ANU) has called upon the United Nations to guarantee free and open access to plant DNA sequences, enabling scientists to continue improving crops […]
ASTA Champions Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act
The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, brought forward by Reps. Mike Pompeo of Kansas and G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina, bypasses a potentially conflicting patchwork of state laws and […]
Servi-Tech Announces Executive Management Team
Servi-Tech president and CEO Greg Ruehle announced the formation of its new executive management team. Joining the company in the newly-created chief operating officer position is Jeff Hiers. He will be […]
New Tools to Boost Global Tomato Breeding
LGC has announced the launch of its KASP assay library for tomato genotyping. Developed in conjunction with the Solanaceae Coordinated Agricultural Project (SolCAP) consortium, this validated panel of 384 carefully selected KASP SNP […]
NorthStar Genetics Announces New Sales Manager
Dan Hogstad, CEO of NorthStar Genetics, announced that Lyle Marcus has been promoted to national sales manager for the company and its brands. “Lyle brings 30-plus years of experience in […]
Gene Silencing Confers Fusarium Resistance in Wheat
A research team from the Huazong Agricultural University in China studied the expression of RNA interference (RNAi) sequences from a Fusarium graminearum virulence gene, chitin synthase (Chs) 3b, to enhance wheat resistance to fusarium head blight […]
Elite Beans Can Beat the Heat
Responding to fears that bean production will take a big hit from global warming, scientists from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have identified about 30 “elite” lines showing […]
North Dakota Encourages Improved Seed Varieties
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) is now accepting applications for 2015 specialty crop grants. Organizations, institutions and individuals are encouraged to submit proposals on their own or in partnerships. Eligible […]