Seed Today - Q1 2009 - (Page 4)

Editor’s Note Insulated, But Not Isolated A Publication of Country Journal Publishing Company 3065 Pershing Ct • Decatur, IL 62526 217-877-9660 • FAX: 217-877-6647 www.seedtoday.com joe@seedtoday.com Joe W. Funk Editor Agriculture in general, and the seed production industry in particular, are thus far not directly participating in any kind of economic slowdown. Although not isolated from the rest of the economy, there seems to be a level of insulation. Some segments of the seed industry are faring better than others. of the new 2010 traits, more soybean acres is not good news. Turfgrass Deb Coontz Publisher/Sales Manager/Circulation Jody Sexton Production Manager/Assistant Editor Heather Ervin Assistant Editor Rod Horve Art Director Sy McElvain Bookkeeper Jeff Miller, Mark Avery Sales Seed Today is published quarterly and mailed to members of the following seed associations: • American Seed Trade Association • Atlantic Seed Association • Independent Professional Seed Association • Northern Seed Trade Association • Pacific Seed Association • Southern Seed Association • Western Seed Association The magazine is free of charge to qualifying individuals in the United States and Canada. Foreign subscription rate is $60 per year. Brought to you by the publishers of Grain Journal, Milling Journal, BioFuels Journal and industry specific F.Y.I. e-newsletters. For those companies in the turfgrass seed business, the outlook is somewhat different. Unlike corn and soybean fields, lawns do not need to be reseeded every year. With less new home Joe W. Funk construction, there are Field Crops fewer new home lawns to To be sure, there has been a lot of seed. With fewer existing home sales, volatility in corn and soybean commodthere are fewer families needing to ity prices. Corn-based ethanol producrenovate the old grass around the house tion has taken a hit as gasoline prices they just bought. tumbled. High, unstable fertilizer prices Fewer new lawns translates directly are causing farmers to delay finalizing into less demand for turfgrass. The ecotheir planting decisions until the very nomic slowdown trickles down to this last minute. segment of the industry. For the most part, these are secOn the other hand, retail sales of ondary effects that present logistical packet vegetable seeds have soared in and inventory management challenges, anticipation of spring planting. It’s but do not in and of themselves should exciting to think that it would be not threaten a company’s viability. cheaper to have a vegetable garden to While availability of credit is a conavoid buying produce at the store. cern for the housing market and other That is a fanciful idea that seldom segments of the U.S. economy, seed works out quite as well as anticipated. production companies seem to be able There are realities that the garden seed to get the credit they need to operate. catalogs somehow never mention. ReAt least that is what I heard as I atalities such as bugs and critters and tended the Southern Seed Association weeds and work. But for the moment, and Independent Professional Seed Asseeds are selling. sociation annual January meetings. When our economy eventually At both meetings, there was more straightens itself out (I am confident it concern about customers’ credit than will, I just don’t know when), the seed about seed company credit—will cusindustry will still be there. Some comtomers be able to pay for their seed? panies will have made the right adjustSo, corn and soybean seed compaments and properly reallocated their renies are rather well insulated if not isosources to emerge strong and healthy. lated from the rest of the economy. As Others will struggle and some will long as acres are planted, farmers will fail. Those that falter will blame the buy seed. This year, the $64,000 queseconomy, those that make it will credit tion is what crops will farmers finally changes in the economy for their sucplant—will they increase soybean acres cess. Either way, the seed industry is to avoid the high cost of fertilizer for not totally isolated. I’m just thankful corn? to be somewhat insulated. For the seed corn producers hoping Joe W. Funk, editor to clear their inventory in anticipation joe@seedtoday.com 4 First Quarter 2009 http://www.seedtoday.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Seed Today - Q1 2009

Seed Today - Q1 2009 Contents Editor’s Notes Tri-State Seed LLC Blue Mountain Seed, Inc. Clearwater Seed According to ASTA Risa DeMasi Crystal Fricker AOSCA AOSA/SCST Oxbo International Hamer LLC Perten Insturments Taylor Products BinMaster Level Controls Dean Cavey Farmer Suicides in India: A Social Concern Unrelated to Bt Cotton Ad Index

Seed Today - Q1 2009

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