The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) announced it has received $1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) grants. The RAPP grants are designed to help American agricultural groups break into or strengthen their presence in export markets, especially in regions with growing purchasing power, such as Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South and Southeast Asia.
“Through international engagement and partnerships, ASTA will continue to advocate globally on policy issues that affect the seed sector’s ability to deliver improved seeds to farmers,” said Andy LaVigne, President and CEO of ASTA. “By pushing for aligned phytosanitary regulations, intellectual property approaches that support innovation, and policies that streamline plant breeding innovations like genome editing, ASTA aims to create new opportunities for the seed industry.”
The new funding will help ASTA encourage regulations and practices that support seed innovation and access, ultimately helping U.S. seed businesses reach new customers and markets around the world.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.