ASTA International Committee Meets in the Nation’s Capital

ASTA’s International Committee held its Spring Meeting April 15 and 16 in Washington, D.C. The committee had two full working days of meetings, including presentations from ASTA staff on a range of policy challenges and achievements impacting the seed trade. Discussions focused on phytosanitary issues, intellectual property approaches for seeds, and the international regulatory landscape for plant breeding innovations (PBI).  ASTA members hosted meetings with congressional staff on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and several embassies.  The group ended their meetings with a visit to the USDA Systematic Entomology Laboratory based in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – the largest collection of preserved insects in the United States – which serves as an important reference for monitoring and managing the emergence of agricultural pests.

To learn more about ASTA’s International Committee or to get involved in one of ASTA’s Country Working Groups, please reach out to Sam Crowell at scrowell@betterseed.org.