Over 400 seed producers and associated industry representatives were on hand for the 17th Independent Professional Seedsmen Association (IPSA) Annual Conference, January 17-19, 2006.  Held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in St. Louis, MO, the event provided seedsmen from across the country with an opportunity to review IPSA research projects, listen to a variety of outstanding speakers, and participate in 20 concurrent workshops on a variety of industry topics.

Kevin Dahlman, Dahlco Seeds, Inc., Cokato, Minn., presided over the meeting, discussing the association’s strategic planning session and search for a new CEO last year.  After meeting with several candidates, the IPSA board of directors selected as its new CEO, Greg Ruehle, formerly with the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Association.  Ruehle’s IPSA office is based out of Lincoln, Neb.

Board and Officer Elections

As part of the annual Members’ meeting, Tom Burrus with Burrus Bros. & Associated Growers (Arenzville, IL) and Glen Davis with Legend Seed (DeSmet, SD) were re-elected to three-year terms on the IPSA Board of Directors.  Association officers were also selected for the coming year:

• President – Tom Burrus, Burrus Bros. & Assoc. Growers, Arenzville, IL

• Vice President – Glen Davis, Legend Seeds, Inc., DeSmet, SD

• 2nd Vice President – Bill Latham, Latham Seed Co., Alexander, IA

• Secretary – Bruce Yerks, Yerks Seed, Inc., Woodburn, IN

• Treasurer – Dennis Lutgen, Star Seed, Inc., Beloit, KS

Other members of the Board of Directors include Lou Schwiegert, GroAlliance Seed, Cuba City, WI; Julie Catlett, Trisler Seed Farm, Fairmount, IL; and Jeff Spieler, Sand Seed Service, Marcus, IA.

IPSA Business Development Committee

The Association’s working committees took a number of important initiatives for the coming year.  The Business Development Committee, which brings together the industry expertise of seedsmen and allied industry representatives, met to plan several initiatives for the coming year.  The Committee will meet again in March to begin planning for the 2007 Annual Meeting, including program topics and speaker ideas.  Additionally, the Committee will consider offering educational seminars for members over the internet (called ‘webinars’) to carry IPSA educational programs to a larger audience.  The Committee is also planning agronomic training programs for the coming year as well.

As part of the Association’s strategic planning initiative in 2005, Membership and Education Committees have been formed.  The Membership Committee initiated a membership drive during December that added 17 new members to the Association roster.  The Education Committee will work in conjunction with the Business Development Committee on the educational curriculum offering for IPSA members.

IPSA Research Committee

IPSA Research Committee member Dale Ireland, Doebler’s PA Hybrids, Jersey Shore, Pa., gave an update on the association’s research program. He noted that last October, IPSA sponsored its third annual seed production and conditioning workshop, which addressed seed field issues and visual sorting equipment among other topics. In January 2006, the research committee also had a conference call to develop corn inbred and hybrid lists for research projects.

During the annual meeting, attendees heard research updates from Jim Dodd, Professional Seed Research, Inc. (PSR), Sugar Grove, Ill.; Bryan Young, Burrus Seed Farms, Arenzville, Ill.; and Jerry Hartsock, Cutting Edge Consulting, Geneseo, Ill.

Dodd discussed the Corn Disease Resistance Screening project, which represents 16 years’ worth of accumulated data on eight pathogens affecting corn. Disease ratings for 170 corn inbreds and hybrids are shared with the project’s subscribers. PSR also provides disease descriptions that IPSA members can use in their annual field books and agronomic training programs.

Young discussed the corn seed treatment trial which is in its second year. Seed treatments were evaluated at 11 locations throughout the Midwest last year. Young noted that average results for both Cruiser and Poncho 250 seed treatments matched closely to what is commonly reported in the industry. Young added that BASF will be participating (along with other seed treatment manufacturers Syngenta and Bayer CropScience) in the seed treatment research project this year.

Several new experiments within the seed treatment program have been proposed. Young noted that one of the benefits of participation in this project is that subscribers get early experience with new seed treatment products before they are introduced to the market.

Hartsock discussed corn rootworm management systems, noting that root mass generally correlates closely to yield. Hartsock conducted stand counts, and recorded root ratings and yield results on several sites with light to moderate rootworm pressure last year. Hartsock also discussed how the field characteristic system is now in its fourth year. Phenotypic information is being collected on 20 hybrids and 10 inbreds.

After the research project leaders spoke, program subscribers were invited to share how they use IPSA research data. One subscriber said that IPSA’s study on the impact of different herbicides on corn inbreds helps his company share valuable information with seed growers. Another mentioned how his company does its own herbicide screening, but likes to have reassurance that IPSA results correlate closely to his company’s own findings. Another says his company uses hybrid research data in its brochures and recommendations to farmers.

Speaker highlights

The first day of the convention featured two presentations by Thomas Faranda, former president of The Hospital Corporation of Chicago and former national accounts manager for Masonite Corporation. His pre-convention program addressed sales management issues. This was followed by an afternoon presentation titled “All in the Family,” a discussion of the unique challenges faced by family-owned businesses, such as succession planning and selling a family business.  One attendee commented that Faranda’s “unique insight on family business was very informative to the conference.”

Wednesday’s concurrent educational workshops offered attendees an opportunity to choose from a list of relevant educational topics affecting the seed industry, ranging from production-related topics, to insurance and legal issues affecting seedsmen.  New this year, IPSA offered alternating educational programs by human resource specialist Rick Galbreath titled “It Takes More than Seed to Lead” and “Performance Management – Why that Dog won’t Hunt and How to Fix It.”  Both sessions were well received by attendees, who commented that “Rick was excellent and made me think a lot.”

The Wednesday luncheon featured southern farmer and comedian Jerry Carroll, who brought a unique and humorous insight on agricultural issues to those in attendance.

Thursday’s second management workshop featured David Kohl, professor emeritus, Agricultural Finance and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Virginia Tech, who grabbed the audience’s attention with his forecasts for agriculture.

Kohl predicts that by 2030, China will become the world’s economic and military leader, and that its economy is currently growing by 12.5 percent annually. Moreover, with its hunger for education and a commitment to investing in higher education, China will become a force to be reckoned with, suggests Kohl.

The U.S. is currently borrowing huge sums of money from China, Japan and South Korea. As long as those nations are willing to provide long-term financing to the U.S., this country should be okay. But, if they should decide to put their money into Euros, the U.S. will have to raise interest rates, says Kohl.

Kohl encourages U.S. agribusiness to do 1,000 little things one percent better and to devote more time to one’s personal education every week to thrive in the future. “Focus on efficiency, but on efficiency in the right things. Once you do that, you hit on a growth strategy.”  One attendee summed up Dr. Kohl’s presentation as “absolutely excellent – a great macro look at ag-economy and trends.”

The final presentation was given by Shep Hyken, a St. Louis-based speaker and author on customer relationship management. He suggested that to maintain long-term relationships with customers, one needs to create or capitalize on “Moments of Magic,” and to treat people the way they would want to be treated. If your business loses a customer, Hyken recommends looking for the weak link in the process and correcting it.

Hartsock recognized

Jan Hartsock with Condor Consultants, Ltd., Geneseo, Ill., was recognized by IPSA President Kevin Dahlman for her nearly 10 years of service to independent seed producers during Wednesday’s Annual Meeting.  During her remarks, Hartsock thanked members for their support of IPSA, and encouraged them to remain actively involved in their industry and industry association.

Future Annual Conference location announcements

The 18th Annual IPSA Conference will return to the Adam’s Mark Hotel in St. Louis on January 16-18, 2007. 

A new venue was announced for the 2008 Annual Conference – the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL.  The dates for this conference are January 22-25, 2008, with one additional day for off-site activities for attendees.