Supporting the Future
Illinois Seed Trade Association Golf Outing by Richard Denhart - Executive Secretary-Treasurer
The Burlison Award is presented annually to an outstanding graduate student in the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. As you are well aware the support mechanism for this important investment in our future has been canceled for 2020.
Purity and Identity Still Key
CEO Annual Report by Doug Miller
The Illinois Crop Improvement Association has had another successful year of providing essential services in support of agriculture. Our Puerto Rico based winter services provide critical data and seed to plant breeders and seed producers. The broader seed and grain industry relies on our laboratory services to make critical quality and processing decisions.
Confidence Building
Seed Lab Annual Report by Steve Beals - Director
The lab continues to add to the accreditations of its staff. Brittany Whitsitt, RST, attended a Canadian Seed Grader Workshop training and testing session that was held in July 2019. Brittany passed all 6 seed categories and was granted accreditation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency administered through the USDA-AMS. Brittany is US-Accredited Canadian Seed Grader No. 7034. Eunsoo Choe, PhD attended the Federal Seed Lab Seed School that was held in August 2019. At the conclusion of the seed school, Eunsoo took the Registered Seed Technologist exams.
Healthy Fields
Field Services Annual Report by Matt Raymond - Director
The Field Services department covers a broad range of seed and grain services. Under our various accreditations, we conduct field inspections for certification, phytosanitary, and weed-free forage programs during the growing season. After inspections end in autumn we move to the greenhouse and lab and spend our time conducting trait purity and adventitious presence testing.