Help Applicators Keep Field Workers Safe

Pesticide applicators can now know in near real-time where seed field workers are active.

Those registered with the FieldWatch system through the state of Iowa as an applicator now have access to SeedFieldCheck reporting which shows where field workers are currently active and where seed companies plan to have active workers in the following 24 hours. 

The new functionality is integrated into the existing FieldWatch crop and apiary registry and will help seed companies more effectively communicate the location and presence of seed field workers to pesticide applicators. The information will be available in near real-time allowing seed companies the ability to make edits and update plans quickly and replace the endless circulation of emails and paper or electronic maps to targeted applicators. 

With the addition of seed field workers to the FieldWatch system, the state of Iowa has a “one-stop-shop” for applicators to find information about sensitive crops, apiaries, and seed field workers.

SeedFieldCheck is a pilot project launched in the state of Iowa by the Iowa Seed Association, Iowa Agricultural Aviation Association, and FieldWatch®

More information about the pilot program:

• Press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture announcing the pilot program: https://iowaagriculture.gov/news/secretary-naig-reminds-producers-pesticide-applicators-communication-key-reducing-target
• Video demonstration of how to sign up as an applicator: https://fieldwatch.com/applicatordemo/
• SeedFieldCheck Best Practices for seed companies and applicators: https://fieldwatch.com/seedfieldcheckbestpractices 
• SeedFieldCheck Flyer: https://fieldwatch.com/seedfieldcheckinfo/ 

Companies and pesticide applicators who are currently registered with FieldWatch will need to specifically add the SeedFieldCheck capability. This will allow a full report of sensitive crops, apiaries, and active field workers to registered users.

Companies currently participating in reporting field workers include Bayer, Becks, Corteva, Remington, and Syngenta.

For questions, please contact Joan O’Brien at 515-262-8323 or via email joanoagribizorg  (joanoagribizorg)  . Thank You.

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardshi...

Governor Reynolds extended the end date of the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration to April 30, 2020. As part of that decision, additional declaration language was added regarding commercial pesticide applicators who are not currently certified.

The declaration provides an opportunity for companies to hire new applicators during the Emergency Declaration period using the private applicator exam. See the full press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for details.
The association has been working diligently with Governor Reynolds and Secretary Naig on the commercial pesticide applicator certification issue.
We would like to thank the Governor and Secretary for their leadership in providing a solution in these difficult circumstances and continuing to recognize it is in the vital interest of the state and the country that the food production system in the United States remains as uninterrupted as possible.

Additional Information

The COVID-19 pandemic has created delays in processing and mailing pesticide applicator cards and certifications. Applicators can view the status of their certifications on the Department’s public search portal.
For more information, contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Pesticide Bureau at pesticidesiowaagriculturegov  (pesticidesiowaagriculturegov)   or 515-281-8591.

Seven CALS Students Awarded Seed Scholarships

Nine scholarships were given to seven Iowa State University (ISU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) students at the 2020 Iowa Agribusiness Showcase and Conference on February 13, in Des Moines, Iowa.  Five Iowa Seed Association (ISA) Scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded. One of ISA awarded students was selected as the Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Scholar and received an additional $500 scholarship. The $1,000 Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship and the $1,000 Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Memorial Scholarship were also awarded at the ISA ceremony.    

Bill Latham was a former president of the Iowa Seed Association, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), the Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA), and was a former President of his family company, Latham Seed.  Bill passed away in 2015.

This is the fourth year the “Lisa Shepherd Jenkins” Memorial Scholarship was awarded by the ISU Seed Science Center to an undergraduate student engaged in seed science and seed technology. The $1,000 scholarship honors Lisa who served as Seed Health Testing Coordinator for the Seed Science Center and as Director of the Administrative Unit of the National Seed Health System. Lisa headed one of the most active phytosanitary seed testing programs in the country and served as a chair on committees for both the American Seed Trade Association and the American Phytopathological Society.  Lisa passed away in 2015.  

Louis Burton is from Rogers, Minnesota.  His parents are Chad and Lisa Burton. He is a junior in agricultural business.  Louis works at the ISU Seed Science Center where he has developed an interest in the seed business. He has completed internships at Domnick Seeds (a Dekalb Asgrow dealership) in western Minnesota, and CHS Co-op, also in western Minnesota.  He hopes to work as a sales agronomist after graduation with the opportunity to work with farmers on a day-to-day basis.  Louis has been on the dean’s list four of the five semesters he has attended Iowa State.  He is also a member of the Agricultural Business Club.  Burton was also awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Iowa Certified Crop Advisers.

Madeline Frischmeyer is from Reinbeck, Iowa.  Her parents are Chris and Julie Frischmeyer. Madeline is a junior in Agronomy with a Seed Science secondary major. Madeline has spent time working at Pioneer and Heartland and will be doing field-exploration this summer with Syngenta as a corn production intern. Madeline is actively involved in the ISU Farm Operations Club, where she has served as secretary and volunteers to help her fellow students who have special needs.  She has received two academic scholarships based on her GPA of 3.7 or above and has been awarded recognition on the Dean’s list. She says she is interested in the field of seed science because she knows it is a field where her education will never stop.

Malcolm St. Cyr is from Washington, DC.  His parents are Donna Tracey and Alioune Badara M’Backe’.  He is a freshman in Agronomy.  Malcolm grew up in Senegal, West Africa in a farming community.  Malcolm worked as a farm laborer for 10 years where he watched the impact that limited food yields have on an entire community.  This experience has fueled his interest in Agronomy.  He says seeds, along with soil are the foundation of agricultural sciences.  He is an APEX Scholar and was selected to attend the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences Conference last semester.  He is actively involved in several campus organizations and will be presenting at two conferences over the next year.  Malcolm says he is interested in the science applied to seed selection,  breeding, and the seed industry. He hopes to someday help the community he grew up in, as well as assist with solving international and regional food quality, security, and systems problems.  

Haley Stahl is from Marshalltown, Iowa.  Her parents are Jon and Julie Stahl.  She is a junior in Agronomy with a Seed Science secondary major. Haley studies in agronomy strongly emphasize seed science, crop development and funding, and management decisions and considerations within the seed industry.  She has spent a considerable amount of time studying and identifying multiple varieties of seeds and plants, impacts on yield, and the genetics behind producing grain.  She is an active member of the Agronomy Club and has worked as a research assistant and research intern for Beck’s Hybrids.  She says these experiences have enabled her to utilize her classroom knowledge in a practical setting.  She also plans to eventually pursue a graduate degree in seed science.  In the future, she hopes to develop new ways to help the seed industry succeed and work to develop seed technologies to help plant breeders create better lines.

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Brandyn Chapman is the recipient of the Lisa Shepherd Jenkins scholarship.  He is from Ames, Iowa.  Brandyn previously received his B.S. in agricultural studies and has returned to school to earn another degree in Horticulture. Brandyn started working at the Iowa State University Seed Science Center in the fall of 2012 as a student.  Post-graduation in 2015 he served as production management supervisor trainee at Remington Seeds in Hastings Minnesota.  After completion of that program, he decided to return to Iowa State University, and eventually to the Seed Science Center where he has been for three years working as a Seed Analyst III. He volunteers his time assisting Dr. Susan Goggi with her Agronomy 338 lab every fall semester.  He says hopes to someday be in a student advising position which involves teaching opportunities. Whether it is in the lab, or in the field, or in the classroom, Brandyn has a robust love and passion for plant science.

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Erin Stichter is the recipient of the Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship.  She is from Erie, Illinois and is the daughter of Brandon and Casey Stichter.  She is a junior in Agronomy. Erin has interned in seed corn production at Wyffel’s Hybrids where she experienced production of seed corn, field operations, bulk seed processing, warehousing, and distribution.  She also works in the ISU soybean breeding research lab where she has gained insight on the development of new seed genetics. Erin served as a delegate to the National American Society of Agronomy – Students of Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Sciences conference just this past November where her research, based on assessing the potential for soybean yield improvement through plant architectural modification, achieved second place in the National Darrel S. Metcalfe Journalism Contest. She says this experience is a prime example of the outstanding opportunities Iowa State offers to supplement education and learning in and out of the classroom environment. 

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Eric Heick is this year’s recipient of the Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Award in addition to an Iowa Seed Association scholarship. Eric is from West Branch, Iowa and is a senior in Agronomy.  His parents are Diane and Russell Heick.  Last year he received the Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship. Eric works at the Seed Science Center with Alan Gaul which he says has confirmed his interest in seed conditioning.  He has also interned with Syngenta Parent Seed in Slater where he assisted with planting, standing counts, and detasseling.  He has been on the ISU Dean’s list from the fall of 2017 to the fall of 2019, a member of the University Honors program served as secretary of the Ag Markets Club, and a member of the Agronomy Club.  His goal is to graduate debt-free with a double major in agronomy and seed science in just 4 years.  He would like to work in Seed Corn Production and is considering attending graduate school.

Original article from:
https://www.seeds.iastate.edu/news/seven-cals-students-awarded-seed-scholarships

Iowa Seed Names Rich Hall as Honorary Member

Des Moines, Iowa – During their annual member meeting, the Iowa Seed Association (ISA) presented Rich Hall, GreenLeaf Genetics, of Springfield, South Dakota, with an honorary member award on February 12, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa. Hall has been connected to the Iowa Seed Association (ISA) throughout his career. In recent years he has been a strong supporter of the association via GreenLeaf Genetics through participation and sponsorship. 

Hall majored in Biology at the University of Nebraska and graduated in 1976. He began his career as a nursery employee for DeKalb in Fremont, Nebraska.

Hall went on to establish a Corn Breeding and Testing Group (CHS) with Bob Foley, Bo-Jac; Tom Hoegemeyer, Hoegemeyer Hybrids; and himself at Curry Seeds in the mid-1990s. At one point in time, the inbred lines from that group had approximately a 4% national market share. Following the sale of the CHS Germplasm to Syngenta, Rich became one of the seven original employees of GreenLeaf Genetics and is retiring at the end of March.

Throughout his career, Hall has always been willing to mentor peers and share his expertise and wisdom with them.  Hall’s leadership in the seed industry and his generosity will be missed upon his retirement from GreenLeaf Genetics in 2020.

Chris Latham Named as 2020 Iowa Seed Association P...

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Des Moines, IA – During the Iowa Seed Association (ISA) annual meeting Chris Latham of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, Alexander, Iowa, was named 2020 ISA Board of Directors President. The annual meeting is held in conjunction with the Agribusiness Showcase and Conference, which is hosted by the Agribusiness Association of Iowa in Des Moines, Iowa.

Latham is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds. The Latham Seed Company was founded in 1947 in Alexander, Iowa, by his grandparents Willard and Evelyn Latham. After five years of success with Latham Hybrids, LLC, in 2009, Chris and his brother John, along with John’s wife Shannon, brought Latham Seed Company and Latham Hybrids, LLC together to make Latham Hi-Tech Seeds.

Latham has served as a board member since 2017 and was nominated to 2^nd Vice President by his peers on the board of directors in 2018. The association is pleased to have a strong leadership path for board members to help lead the association into the future. Also rising in the ranks on the board of directors is Randy Ramundt of Bayer CropScience. Ramundt was named 1^st Vice President and Adam Anderson of Corteva Agriscience was named 2^nd Vice President. 2019 ISA President Chuck Cornelius, Cornelius Seed, will provide leadership on the board for one final year as Past President.

Newly added to the board of directors include Jim Chenhall, Syngenta; Angela Latcham, Corteva Agriscience; and Jeff Steinbeck, Remington Seeds. Each seat on the ISA board of directors serves a three-year term, after which either their term expires, or in any year of their service, the board member can be nominated as an officer and placed into a leadership track to become board president.

Retiring from the board after years of dedicated service to the seed industry are Jim Webster, Pioneer Corteva of Dysart, Jim Anderson, Remington Seeds, LLC of Williams; and Tom Severson, AgVantage FS of Marshalltown.

The full 2020 ISA board of directors include Brooke Achenbach, Syngenta; Jeremiah Andorf, Bayer CropScience; Jim Chenhall, Syngenta; Terry Garner, BASF; Jeff Steinbeck, Remington Seeds; Dr. Manjit Misra, ISU Seed Science Center; ISU Ex-Officio – Dr. Jim Rouse, IA Crop Improvement Association.

Scholarships and Recognitions Highlighted at Annua...

This year, seven $1,000 “Iowa Seed Scholarships” are awarded. One of these students is also selected as the “Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Scholar,” and will receive $500 in addition to the $1,000 seed scholarship.

Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship

For the fifth year, the ISA will also award the $1,000 “Bill Latham” Memorial Scholarship in his honor. Bill was a former president of the Iowa Seed Association, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), the Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA), and was a former President of his family company, Latham Seed. Bill passed away in 2015.

Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Memorial Scholarship

For the fourth time, the “Lisa Shepherd Jenkins” Memorial Scholarship is awarded by the ISU Seed Science Center to an undergraduate student engaged in seed science and seed technology. The $1,000 scholarship honors Lisa who served as Seed Health Testing Coordinator for the Seed Science Center and as Co-Director of the Administrative Unit of the National Seed Health System. Lisa headed one of the most active phytosanitary seed testing programs in the country and served as a chair on committees for both the American Seed Trade Association and the American Phytopathological Society. Lisa passed away in 2015.

Iowa Seed Association Scholarships

Louis Burton
Rogers, Minnesota
Son of Chad and Lisa Burton
He is a junior in agricultural business. Louis works at the ISU Seed Science Center where he has developed an interest in the seed business. He has completed internships at Domnick Seeds (a Dekalb Asgrow dealership) in western Minnesota, and CHS Co-op, also in western Minnesota. He hopes to work as a sales agronomist after graduation with the opportunity to work with farmers on a day-to-day basis. Louis has been on the dean’s list four of the five semesters he has attended Iowa State. He is also a member of the Agricultural Business Club.

Madeline Frischmeyer
Reinbeck, Iowa
Daughter of Chris and Julie Frischmeyer
Madeline is a junior in Agronomy with a Seed Science secondary major. Madeline has spent time working at Pioneer and Heartland and will be doing field-exploration this summer with Syngenta as a corn production intern. Madeline is actively involved in the ISU Farm Operations Club, where she has served as secretary and volunteers to help her fellow students who have special needs. She has received two academic scholarships based on her GPA of 3.7 or above and has been awarded recognition on the Dean’s list. She says she is interested in the field of seed science because she knows it is a field where her education will never stop.

Malcolm St. Cyr
Washington, DC.
Son of Donna Tracey and Alioune Badara M’Backe’
He is a freshman in Agronomy. Malcolm grew up in Senegal, West Africa in a farming community. Malcolm worked as a farm laborer for 10 years where he watched the impact that limited food yields have on an entire community. This experience has fueled his interest in Agronomy. He says seeds, along with soil are the foundation of agricultural sciences. He is an APEX Scholar and was selected to attend the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences Conference last semester. He is actively involved in several campus organizations and will be presenting at two conferences over the next year. Malcolm says he is interested in the science applied to seed selection, breeding, and the seed industry. He hopes to someday help the community he grew up in, as well as assist with solving international and regional food quality, security, and systems problems.

Haley Stahl
Marshalltown, Iowa
Daughter of Jon and Julie Stahl
She is a junior in Agronomy with a Seed Science secondary major. Haley studies in agronomy strongly emphasize seed science, crop development and funding, and management decisions and considerations within the seed industry. She has spent a considerable amount of time studying and identifying multiple varieties of seeds and plants, impacts on yield, and the genetics behind producing grain. She is an active member of the Agronomy Club and has worked as a research assistant and research intern for Beck’s Hybrids. She says these experiences have enabled her to utilize her classroom knowledge in a practical setting. She also plans to eventually pursue a graduate degree in seed science. In the future, she hopes to develop new ways to help the seed industry succeed and work to develop seed technologies to help plant breeders create better lines.
Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Scholarship

Brandyn Chapman
Ames, Iowa
Brandyn previously received his B.S. in agricultural studies and has returned to school to earn another degree in Horticulture. Brandyn started working at the Iowa State University Seed Science Center in the fall of 2012 as a student. Post-graduation in 2015 he served as production management supervisor trainee at Remington Seeds in Hastings Minnesota. After completion of that program, he decided to return to Iowa State University, and eventually to the Seed Science Center where he has been for three years working as a Seed Analyst III. He volunteers his time assisting Dr. Susana Goggi with her Agronomy 338 lab every fall semester. He says hopes to someday be in a student advising position which involves teaching opportunities. Whether it is in the lab, or in the field, or in the classroom, Brandyn has a robust love and passion for plant science.

Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship
Erin Stichter
Erie, Illinois
Daughter of Brandon and Casey Stichter
She is a junior in Agronomy. Erin has interned in seed corn production at Wyffel’s Hybrids where she experienced production of seed corn, field operations, bulk seed processing, warehousing, and distribution. She also works in the ISU soybean breeding research lab where she has gained insight on the development of new seed genetics. Erin served as a delegate to the National American Society of Agronomy – Students of Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Sciences conference just this past November where her research, based on assessing the potential for soybean yield improvement through plant architectural modification, achieved second place in the National Darrel S. Metcalfe Journalism Contest. She says this experience is a prime example of the outstanding opportunities Iowa State offers to supplement education and learning in and out of the classroom environment.

Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Award & Iowa Seed Association Scholarship
Eric Heick
West Branch, Iowa
Son and Russell Heick
Eric is senior in Agronomy. Last year he received the Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship. Eric works at the Seed Science Center with Alan Gaul which he says has confirmed his interest in seed conditioning. He has also interned with Syngenta Parent Seed in Slater where he assisted with planting, standing counts, and detasseling. He has been on the ISU Dean’s list from the fall of 2017 to the fall of 2019, a member of the University Honors Program, served as secretary of the Ag Markets Club, and a member of the Agronomy Club. His goal is to graduate debt-free with a double major in agronomy and seed science in just 4 years. He would like to work in Seed Corn Production and is considering attending graduate school.

IowaSeed Forum Announces Speakers

Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Iowa State Fairgrounds
Varied Industries Building
9:00 – 9:20
Iowa Seed Annual Meeting and Honorary Member Award

9:20 – 9:35
John Latham, Latham Hi-Tech Seed
ASTA Update

9:35-10:05
Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig, IDALS
Iowa Update

10:05 – 10:35
Dave Tierney, Bayer CropScience
Addressing Iowa legislative/issues update and glyphosate update

10:35-11:05
Stephanie Regagnon, FieldWatch CEO
2020 Overview

11:05 – 11:45
Dr. Chad Hart, ISU
Economics

Lunch and scholarship recognition to follow forum, view conference information at www.iowaseed.org

Cornelius Named 2019 ISA Board President

Des Moines, IA – The Iowa Seed Association (ISA) named Chuck Cornelius of Bellevue, Iowa, as 2019 Board President during the 2019 ISA annual meeting in Des Moines. The full 2019 board was confirmed and announced on February 13. The association also held the annual Iowa Seed Forum prior to the annual meeting.

Cornelius is currently the President and Production Manager of Cornelius Seed Company in Bellevue, Iowa. Chuck joined the family business after graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Agronomy, extending the company’s family-owned heritage to the 5th generation.

Also rising in the ranks of the ISA board is Chris Latham of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, named 1^st Vice President and Randy Ramundt of Bayer CropScience, named 2^nd Vice President. 2018 ISA President Jim Webster of Corteva Agriscience moved to Past President and will help on the board for one final year.

Each seat on the ISA serves a three-year term until the term either expires or the board member is nominated to the leadership track to become board president. Newly added to the board of directors include Brooke Achenbach of Syngenta and Terry Garner of BASF. Both Achenbach and Garner will serve on the ISA board until 2022.

Full board contact information can be accessed here https://iowaseed.org/board-of-directors/ 

Full Board of Directors Listing

Brooke Achenbach, Syngenta

Adam Anderson, Corteva Agriscience

Jim Anderson, Remington Seeds, LLC

Jeremiah Andorf, Bayer CropsScience

Chuck Cornelius, Cornelius Seed Company – 2019 President

Terry Garner, BASF

Chris Latham, Latham Hi-Tech Seeds  – 1^st Vice President

Randy Ramundt, Bayer CropScience – 2^nd Vice President

Jim Rouse, Iowa Crop Improvement Association

Tom Severson, Agvantage FS

Jim Webster, Corteva Agriscience – Past President

Dr. Manjit Misra, Iowa Seed Science Center Director – Appointed

 

The Iowa Seed Association strives to promote the seed industry, research pertaining to the betterment of agriculture, and to cooperate with educational and regulatory authorities in the development of a sound and effective seed program for the advancement of agriculture.

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Goggi Honored for Seed Industry Dedication and Ach...

Dr. Susana Goggi Named 2019 Iowa Seed Association Honorary Member

An Iowa State University professor is the recipient of the 2019 Iowa Seed Association (ISA) Honorary Membership Award.  Dr. Susana Goggi, Professor of Agronomy, has dedicated her life to addressing major seed quality issues confronting the seed industry in Iowa and globally.

“Dr. Goggi has demonstrated great dedication to the improvement and support of the Iowa seed industry,”  said Jim Webster, ISA board president. “Her entire career has been focused on delivery of quality seeds and the education of people that conduct the research, produce the seed or sell the seeds that benefit the nation’s farmers.”

Webster emphasizes Goggi’s impact on future seed professionals through her teaching. Dr. Goggi has trained more than 25 Master’s degree and Ph.D. students and has taught seed physiology and science to hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students in class.

“The influence she has on our young people through her Seed Science and Technology class will ensure the seed industry is prepared to meet the challenges of feeding a growing population,” said Webster.  “She has been a good partner to seed companies providing research and advice on seed quality issues.”

Goggi was recognized with the award, during the annual Seed Forum hosted by the Iowa Seed Association (ISA). The association annually partners with the Agribusiness Showcase and Conference in Des Moines to provide attending members with a wider range of learning and networking opportunities. The recipient of this award has been chosen every year since 1949, by the outgoing ISA board president.

“Over the years I have been impressed at the caliber of the recipients of this award,” Goggi said. “I am humbled, and at the same time ecstatic, to be recognized among these giants of the seed industry.”

Annually, Goggi leads an ISA committee with the selection process of scholarships which are awarded to Iowa State University students at the conference.  This year ten ISU students interested in pursuing seed science studies received scholarships.

“She recognizes the importance of quality seed as the foundational component in agriculture and has served with purpose, both directly and indirectly, to support the success of the seed industry and America’s farmers,” said Webster. “The Iowa Seed Association is honored to recognize her service.”

Original Post from ISU News

Scholarships and Recognitions Highlighted at Annua...

Iowa State University Iowa Seed Association Scholarships Recipients Recognized at 2019 Annual Meeting and Luncheon

Eleven scholarships were given to ten Iowa State University (ISU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) students at the 2019 Agribusiness Showcase & Conference on February 13, in Des Moines, Iowa.  Eight Iowa Seed Association (ISA) Scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded. One of ISA awarded students were selected as the Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Scholar and received an additional $500 scholarship. The $1,000 Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship and the $1,000 Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Memorial Scholarship were also awarded at the ISA ceremony.

This ISA scholarship competition is awarded based on academic excellence, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, and interest in a career in the seed industry or seed science.

2019 Scholarship Recipients

1. Karli Buckmeier is from Saint Michael, Minnesota and is a senior in Agricultural Systems Technology with an emphasis in Machine Systems.  She is an undergraduate student assistant at the ISU Seed Testing Laboratory, where she receives samples from customers, processes and records them into the computer system, both before and after testing is completed.
2. Caryn Dawson is from Palmer, Iowa and is a junior with a double major in Global Resource Systems and Horticulture with a double minor in Animal Science and Spanish.  She is an undergraduate student assistant at the ISU Seed Laboratory working on seed germination projects.
3. Daniel Korhonen is from Radcliffe, Iowa and a senior with a double major in Agronomy and Seed Science. He has worked as a lab assistant in the ISU agronomy, soils, and organic crops labs, as a crop scout at Central Ag Consulting in Valley City, North Dakota, and in warehouse worker for Champion Seeds of Iowa.  Upon graduation, he would like to work alongside farmers as an agronomist for a seed company or as a crop consultant.
4. Chee Gang Ngui is a student from Puchong, Malaysia and a senior with a double major in Horticulture (food crop production and management) and Seed Science and a minor in Food Science and Industry.    He has worked as an undergraduate research assistant in fruit crops in Dr. Cochran’s lab, and as a field inspector for Bayer, in Iowa.
5. Rachel Nordhoff is from Boone, Iowa and a junior with a double major in Agricultural Studies and Agronomy. After meeting ISU Seed Science Center employees at a farm expo, she decided to apply for an undergraduate assistant position at the lab.  She says that the job was a career-changing experience.  She would like the opportunity to complete summer internships in the seed industry and find a job in seed and agronomy sales upon graduation.
6. Regan Pleggenkuhle is from Waucoma, Iowa and a sophomore with a double major in Agronomy and Seed Science.  He grew up on his family farm where he was involved in all aspects of the row crop and hog farming operation. It was his childhood experience which forged his interest in agriculture as a career.
7. Tucker Gabriel is from Eudora, Kansas and a senior in Agricultural Engineering with a minor in Ag Business.  He is an undergraduate student research assistant at FloMetrix where he tests seed flow sensors and the measurement repeatability for the company.
8. Michael Geissinger is from Marshfield, Wisconsin and a senior with a double major in Agronomy and Animal Science.  His interests in seeds stems from widely diverse job opportunities in the seed industry, from sales to genetics, and from research to technology transfer.

Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Scholar

Michael Geissinger is also the recipient of the 2019 Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Scholar $500 Scholarship. In his application, he states: “The key to feed 9.6 billion people in 2050 will be understanding the physiology of the seed and maximizing its potential to be grown into harvestable crops that can be used for (food), feed, fuel, and fiber”

He completed internships as forage management at WinField-United in Wisconsin and as Seed Sales rep in Ohio, and has worked as undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Singh’s soybean breeding program, and as Agronomy Intern at the Agricultural Research Station of the UW-Madison in Stratford, WI.

He received the American FFA Degree, Wisconsin FFA Star in Ag Business awards, and ISU Agronomy Academic fellowship; and was elected National SASES member relations officer.  He is also Vice President of the ISU Agronomy club.

He seeks a career as a district seed sales manager specialized in alfalfa seed.  He believes his diversified academic and internships background makes him uniquely qualified to attack the complex seed problems and their relation to food and feed.

Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship

Eric Heick was chosen as the 2019 recipient of the 4^th annual Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. Heick is from West Branch, Iowa and a junior pursuing a double major in Agronomy and Seed Science. He is interested in a career in the areas of seed genetics and seed conditioning. He is an undergraduate student assistant in Alan Gaul’s seed conditioning program at the Seed Science Center.

Latham was a former president of the Iowa Seed Association, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), and the Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA).  He was also the former president of his family company, Latham Seed.  Bill passed away on July 31, 2015.

Lisa Shepard Jenkins Memorial Scholarship

Yee Shuan Lai from Malaysia was chosen as the third annual Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Scholar.  Yee is a senior in Ecology and currently works at the ISU Seed Testing laboratory as an undergraduate assistant in germination and seed health testing.

She also works as a research assistant in Arabidopsis haploid induction at Dr. Lübberstedt laboratory in Agronomy Hall.  She plans to pursue a master’s degree in seed science.  The $1,000 Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Memorial Scholarship is awarded by the ISU Seed Science Center to an undergraduate student engaged in seed science and seed technology.

Shepherd Jenkins served as Seed Health Testing Coordinator for the Seed Science Center and as Director of the Administrative Unit of the National Seed Health System. She also headed one of the most active phytosanitary seed testing programs in the country and served as a chair on committees for both the American Seed Trade Association and the American Phytopathological Society.

Lisa passed away on July 1, 2015.

About the Seed Science Scholarships

This scholarship competition is open to students in any major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Iowa State University, and scholarships are awarded on the bases of four criteria:

1. Academic excellence,
2. Leadership skills,
3. Interpersonal skills, and most importantly,
4. Demonstrated interest in a career in the seed industry or seed science.

Selection Committee members include:

Dr. Barb Clawson, Horticulture

Dr. Mark Gleason, Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Dr. Tom Brumm, Ag. & Biosystems Eng.

Dr. Susana Goggi, Agronomy & Seed Science Center, & Committee Chair

View more photos on the Iowa Seed Facebook page

 

Download 2019 ISA Scholarship handout from the event.