December 2009 E-News

Economic Analysis of the California Seed Industry is Complete
California seed companies generated an estimated $2.9 billion in gross revenue from seed sales worldwide in 2008, according to a UC Davis study. This represents 7.9% of the global seed market. “The information presented in this report serves as evidence of the importance of California as a supplier of raw seed to U.S. and global agriculture,” wrote Dr. William Matthews, postdoctoral scholar of the UC Agricultural Issues Center. “Furthermore, the activities of seed companies in California are a significant source of revenue generation for the state.” This economic analysis was conducted by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center and the UC Davis Seed Biotechnology Center, and funded by the California Seed Advisory Board. The SBC very much appreciates the time and effort of the many companies that provided detailed responses for the survey portion of this study. The completed report and executive summary are now available from the Agricultural Issues Center http://aic.ucdavis.edu. For questions, or additional information, please contact Jamie (Miller) Shattuck at jkmiller@ucdavis.edu or (530)752-9985.

New Grant to Support Biotechnology for Sustainability
Professor Kent Bradford and UC Discovery Fellow Jamie (Miller) Shattuck secured a grant from the American Society of Plant Biologists 2009 Grant Awards Program (GAP) for their project entitled “Biotechnology for Sustainability: Building Resources for Public Education.” “In order to sustain food, fiber and fuel production from plants indefinitely into the future while providing for the anticipated 9 billion people on the earth, we must apply the best science and use all the tools available,” Bradford says. The grant will help develop informational materials that illustrate biotechnology’s role in sustainability. Bradford notes, “Experience to date with biotech crops has clearly demonstrated their beneficial contributions to reducing pesticide use, promoting conservation tillage, reducing farm fuel use, and increasing yields.” Bradford is one of five ASPB members who each received up to $30,000 this year from the Society’s Education Foundation to develop teaching ideas or outreach activities that effectively present and disseminate interesting topics in plant science.  

SBC Leads Study to Determine How Best to Prepare Future Plant Breeders
Researchers at UC Davis launched an interactive study to determine the most important curriculum components in plant-breeder training. A diverse group of almost 400 highly specialized plant breeding experts have been asked to participate in a survey to elicit ideas and suggestions for educational program content. This consensus-based approach will result in a comprehensive analysis of curriculum content and practical experiences that will best prepare future plant breeders. The SBC is taking the lead in the study and working with Dr. Cary Trexler, a professor in the UC Davis College of Education and Dr. Fred Bliss, Seminis Vegetables Seeds. Funding is provided through the generous support of private companies, university departments, and individual contributors. For more information or to help support this study, please contact Mike Campbell at mlcampbell@ucdavis.edu or (530)752-8073.

California Seed Association and Seed Advisory Board extend funding for SBC
Following presentations and a report by the SBC on its activities during its first 10 years of operation that have supported the seed industry, the Board of Directors of the California Seed Association and the Seed Advisory Board recommended continued funding for the SBC through 2013. This funding ($200,000 per year) is the critical foundation supporting SBC staff who have generated an additional $10 million from grants, courses, and initiatives since 1999. The SBC thanks the CSA and SAB for their continued support and partnership. The report, UC Davis Seed Biotechnology Center: Ten Years of Service, Education and Research, is available from the SBC website.

Educational Opportunities
Enrollment Open for Breeding with Molecular Marker
SBC offers its fourth BMM course on February 16-17, 2010 at UC Davis at Buehler Alumni Center, UC Davis. To learn more about the course go to sbc.ucdavis.edu or click 2010 Breeding with Molecular Markers Agenda. For questions contact Jeannette Martins at jmartins@ucdavis.edu.

European Plant Breeding Academy Class I - March 2010 Applications are being accepted and candidates confirmed (space is limited). For more information or to apply, go to pba.ucdavis.edu.

Americas Plant Breeding Academy Class III – September 2010 Applications are being accepted now! To learn more about the program or to apply, go to pba.ucdavis.edu.

NEW Outreach Information
Bradford speaks at Food Ethics Conference
SBC Academic Director Kent Bradford was recently invited to participate in a panel on Genetically Modified Organisms at the Fall Ethics Symposium sponsored by the Center for Practical and Professional Ethics at California State University, Sacramento. Bradford spoke on The Ethics of Biotechnology for Agricultural Sustainability and participated in a panel discussion.For more about this session, please go here.

Bradford posts guest-blog on Biotechnology for Sustainability
Professor Pam Ronald of UC Davis maintains a blog site associated with her book, Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food (highly recommended). SBC Academic Director Kent Bradford was recently a guest blogger on the site on the topic of Biotechnology for Sustainability. His comments can be found here.

If you would like to add a contact, or remove a contact to the Seed Biotechnology Center Enews, please send request to dvandolah@ucdavis.edu. Thank you!