SPRING 2022
NEWS BULLETIN
ISA News & Updates
Inside This Issue: 
  • Scholarships And Recognitions Highlighted At Annual Meeting
  • Northey Named CEO of Agribusiness Association of Iowa
  • Dicamba Cutoff Date in Iowa: June 20
  • Gleason Named Executive Director of INREC
  • Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative Recognized at the Commodity Classic - Shannon Moeller
  • ISU Seed Testing Lab Needs Summer Student Employees
Scholarships And Recognitions Highlighted
At Annual Meeting
2021-2022 Iowa Seed Association Scholarships,
Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship & Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Memorial Scholarship Recognition Ceremony

Presented during the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference
Wednesday, February 9, 2022

This year, ten $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. For the seventh 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.
For the sixth 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.


Ashley Althaus
Sublette, Illinois
Daughter of Steven and Deborah Althaus
She is a Junior majoring in Agricultural Systems Technology and minoring in Agronomy. Her dream is to incorporate agronomic principles into the latest technological advancements to better the agriculture industry by looking for ways to increase yields while reducing equipment costs. She believes that part of the solution involves the science and genetics of the seed and wants to be at the forefront of that progress.
 
Wyatt Bailey
Mitchellville, Iowa
Son of Dwayne and Kimberly Bailey
He is a Junior majoring in Agronomy with a secondary major in Seed Science. Tending the family vegetable gardens sparked his passion for seed science. Through his studies, he hopes to secure a successful future for everyone involved in the seed science industry: breeders, technicians, salespersons, farmers, and consumers. Wyatt has worked as a crop scout at Key Cooperative and will work at Beck’s Hybrids as a corn breeding research intern this coming summer.
 
Alexander Coughlin
Watertown, Wisconsin.
Son of Christ and Kristie Coughlin
He is a Junior majoring in Agronomy with plans to minor in seed science.   Alexander hopes to become a part of the seed industry as a product agronomist with a seed company interested in making specific hybrid selections for the area where he is assigned. His goal is to help farmers have access to better genetics to produce more crops and feed the ever-growing population.
 
Tori Hlas
Belle Plaine, Iowa
Daughter of Jim and Sheila Hlas
Tori is a Junior majoring in Agricultural Studies and minoring in both Agronomy and Agricultural Systems Technology. She is interested in a seed sales career and the advancement of the agriculture industry. Growing up in a small community and on a farm, she says agriculture played a major role in her life. Tori makes it a point to seek out leadership roles and set both short and long-term goals to achieve success. 
 
Matisyn Howell
Osseo, Michigan
Daughter of Jeremy and Erin Howell
Matisyn is a Junior majoring in Agronomy and Animal Science. She grew up with a love for animals, specifically cattle, but a crop consultant she heard speak at Ag Career Day in high school opened her eyes to where she wanted her future to go. On her college advisor's advice, she took a tour of the ISU Seed Science Center, which sparked an interest in seed. She currently works at the SSC and hopes to have opportunities through the Agronomy department to study abroad.
 
Lydia Johnson
Bondurant, Iowa
Daughter of Craig and Katie Johnson
She is a Junior majoring in Agricultural Communications and Journalism and minoring in International Agriculture. She says her passion for agriculture comes from growing up on her family farm and leadership roles, including 4H and the Iowa and Global youth institutes with the World Food Prize. She has interned with News Radio 1040 and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
 
Alexandra Osborn
Wellington, Missouri
Daughter of Scott and Amy Osborn 
She is a Junior majoring in Agriculture and Society and minoring in Agronomy. Alexandra has worked at the ISU Seed Science Center as an assistant seed analyst, where she says her passion for seeds was sparked. Alexandra has also interned at Beck's Hybrids and will intern at Bayer Crop Science this summer. She hopes to use her degree to educate the public about the seed industry. 

Hallie Sandeen
Washington, Iowa
Daughter of Ralph and Cherry Sandeen 
She is a Junior majoring in Agronomy. Hallie’s interest in seed science began as a child whose father was a seed salesman for Pioneer. She has interned at Dryland Genetics, harvesting millet panicles and cleaning and sorting seeds for purity of lines. This coming summer, she will intern at Corteva AgriScience, where she hopes to return after graduation for their two-year management program. Hallie also hopes to pursue a master's degree.
 
Melinda Zubrod
Merrill, Iowa
Daughter of Dennis and Nancy Zubrod
She is a Junior majoring in Agronomy. Melinda plans to pursue a Ph.D. in plant breeding. She has interned with Corteva AgriScience and currently works for the Singh soybean breeding program preparing seed for spring planting. Last semester she presented an independent research project as a Golden Opportunity Scholar which examined the elemental Nitrogen in the mature seed of soybean plants in correlation to the nodulation in early growth stages.

Lisa Shepherd Jenkins Scholarship
Alex Bray
West Des Moines, Iowa
Alex is a Junior majoring in Microbiology with a passion for plant pathology. Alex’s parents are Mike and Nancy Bray. Alex currently works at the Mueller Labs at Iowa State as a research assistant assisting graduate researchers with creating fungal inoculums, cultures, identifying disease on soybean seeds, and helping around with various preparation and cleaning tasks.  

Bill Latham Memorial Scholarship
Rebecca Noe
Eureka, Illinois
Daughter of Andy and Jenny Noe
Rebecca is a Junior majoring in Agronomy with a secondary major in Seed Science.  While she knew her interests lay in agronomy and seed science when she started her college career, it wasn't until she had a few classes that she developed an interest in seed.

Manjit Misra Outstanding Senior Award &
Iowa Seed Association Scholarship
Sara Dudley
Colfax, Iowa
Daughter of Brett and Amy Dudley
Sara is a Junior majoring in Agronomy and Seed Science.  Her love for agriculture was sparked when she joined FFA. Before attending ISU, Sara completed the Agribusiness program at DMACC as a Mark Person Scholar. She first became involved with the seed industry as an intern at Heartland Cooperative treating soybean seed for customers. She will be an intern at PowerPollen this summer, a company that focuses on research and development to create solutions to enhance the future of seed production. After graduation, she hopes to work at a seed company and advocate for the agriculture industry.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!

SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS INCLUDE:
Ms. Barb Clawson, Horticulture
Dr. Mark Gleason, Plant Pathology & Microbiology
Dr. Tom Brumm, Agriculture & Biosystems Engineering
Dr. Susana Goggi, Professor, Seed Physiology -
Scholarship Committee Chair

This scholarship competition is open to students in any major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and engineering students in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University. Scholarships are awarded based on four criteria: 1) Academic excellence, 2) Leadership skills, 3)
Interpersonal skills, and most importantly, 4) A demonstrated interest in a career in the seed industry or seed science.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences greatly appreciates the generosity, in the form of scholarship funds, and the significant support given to ISU and the College, by the Iowa Seed Association and private donors, such as Andy Jenkins, the Latham family, Bruce, and Kathy Maunder, and the Shepherd family. We also appreciate the leadership of Dr. Manjit Misra, Director of the Seed Science Center.
Northey Named CEO of Agribusiness Association of Iowa
The Agribusiness Association of Iowa announced this week that Bill Northey, former Secretary of Agriculture for Iowa, has been named as the new CEO. Northey will be succeeding Joel Brinkmeyer, who will be retiring on May 1, 2022.
 
Northey is well known in ag circles in Iowa. An Iowa State University grad, Northey grew up on a family farm in Dickinson County that is still in the family today. Northey’s public service began as a District Commissioner for the Dickinson County Soil and Water Conservation District. His involvement with the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the National Corn Growers Association culminated in his role as President of NCGA in 1995-1996. Northey was elected three times as Secretary of Agriculture for Iowa in 2006, 2010, and 2014. Most recently, Northey served as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, his term ending in January of 2021.
 
"Bill’s passion for agriculture and extensive breadth of experience in Iowa agriculture are unparalleled. His interests in soil conservation and water quality will serve AAI and its membership well. His experience at the Iowa Statehouse as well as in Washington D.C. will be invaluable as AAI addresses the challenges its members face. The AAI Board of Directors is delighted to have Bill on board," said Kevin Drury, Chair of the AAI Board of Directors.
 
"I am excited to be asked to have the opportunity to serve AAI as its CEO," said Northey. "AAI is made up of the leading agricultural companies in Iowa working to promote Iowa agriculture opportunities and support Iowa farmer and agribusiness leadership on improving Iowa’s environment."  
 
The AAI Board of Directors would like to thank outgoing CEO Joel Brinkmeyer for his nine years of steadfast and phenomenal leadership. Under Joel’s leadership, the Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council (INREC) was formed to be a proactive environmental organization, dedicated to enhancing products and practices of the agricultural community to improve water quality. Likewise, the Agricultural Legal Defense Fund was formed as a novel approach to defend AAI members from negative precedent setting rulings through the court system. The AAI Board of Directors wish Joel and his wife, Linda, nothing but the best in their retirement.
 
The Agribusiness Association of Iowa is based in Des Moines, Iowa and was formed in 1994. AAI represents members, agriculture-based businesses, as one voice in a uniform, consistent, science based, and common-sense approach. The opportunity to succeed is created by a unified agribusiness industry.
Dicamba Cutoff Date in Iowa: June 20
The EPA announced it has approved label amendments that further restrict the use of over-the-top dicamba in Iowa and Minnesota.
 
The revised labeling prohibits over-the-top dicamba application:
  • On dicamba-tolerant crops after June 20 in Iowa
 
Also, the EPA is now requiring that all growers (not just growers in Iowa and Minnesota) using XtendiMax must check:
within 7 days of application in case their state has made any local label updates. Growers using XtendiMax must have all relevant labeling in their possession at the time of application.
Gleason Named Executive Director of INREC
The Agribusiness Association of Iowa is pleased to announce Ben Gleason has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council (INREC). Gleason will be an Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) employee, reporting to the AAI CEO, and will be the dedicated lead for INREC as administrator, communicator, and project manager. Gleason replaces Shawn Richmond, who previously held the position prior to joining the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation in January.
 
In his current position, Gleason has been serving as Senior Manager of Sustainable Programs for Iowa Corn where he has been employed since 2011. The role includes a broad array of environmental issues, including sustainability, soil and water conservation, pesticide use, and wetlands and habitat restoration. As the Senior Manager of Sustainable Programs, Gleason has built a project portfolio of over $1.0 million annually.
 
“I am very excited for this opportunity to build on the foundation of work accomplished by INREC and its members,” said Gleason. “INREC has a very strong membership base, and with their continued support, INREC will continue to foster environmental innovation, demonstrate environmental progress, coordinate and communicate sound scientific approaches to add value to farmers and agribusinesses.”
 
Gleason’s previous experience includes working as Environmental Specialist for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for nearly four years, where he served as coordinator for multiple watershed projects to reduce nutrient and sediment loss, target best management practices, and assist farmers in developing conservation plans. Gleason also has worked with Story County Conservation and Front Range Environmental where he led the establishment of native plant vegetation, erosion control, and pesticide applications. He earned his degree in Ecology from Iowa State University.
 
Gleason grew up in Charles City near his family farm and currently resides in Ankeny.
 
As an integral participant in the development of Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy, Gleason has had an active role representing Iowa Corn as part of INREC since its formalization in 2015. He comes to INREC with a deep understanding of the environmental needs of Iowa agriculture, strong communication and relationship skills, a history of managing budgets and bids, and extensive experience supervising staff and volunteers.
 
As a proven team player, AAI welcomes Gleason to this position and looks forward to gaining from his leadership, knowledge, and past experiences.
 
About INREC
INREC is the only organization in Iowa that strategically brings together major farm & commodity organizations, major fertilizer and crop production companies, agricultural retailers, and crop advisers in a formal organization to help lead the environmental efforts of agriculture in Iowa.
Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative Recognized at the Commodity Classic
The success of the Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative was recently recognized at the national level, through National Corn Growers Association & Environmental Defense Fund’s “Success in Stewardship Network.” This award includes a grant to the project for $10,000 and included a trip for a representative to go to the Commodity Classic in New Orleans and be on a panel discussing the project’s success. A recording of this panel session is on YouTube, and a segment will air on “U.S. Farm Report” on April 16, 2022. Iowa Ag Radio Network also recently highlighted this award.

This award recognizes 2 organizations annually from around the country, and in 2022, this project was recognized along with Indiana’s InField Advantage program. Here are the criteria for organizations to qualify for this award:
  • Clear stewardship goal that the program aims to achieve.
  • Strong data to measure and document environmental results.
  • Defined process for recruiting farmers and helping them adopt best management practices.
  • Support from state corn grower association for the program being submitted.
 
Thank you to Iowa Corn Growers Association for supporting this project through field day/event promotion.

Shannon Moeller
Success in Stewardship panel – photo courtesy of National Corn Growers Association,
Bert Strayer and Shannon Moeller participated on the panel.
Summer Student Employees needed at
ISU Seed Testing Lab
The Iowa State University Seed Science Center is looking for paid summer interns to assist with seed conditioning research operations, industry workshops, and academic training programs. We will train the right candidate. Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) seed cleaning equipment operation & maintenance, material handling, and routine cleaning & organizational tasks. Opportunities for educational content development, small group presentations, equipment design, installation, and fabrication experience.

Current U.S. work authorization is required for student employment. Applicants should be available for work during summer training sessions. Prefer Ag Mechanics, ABE, AST, or Agronomy students with some machinery-related experience. Requires occasional climbing, lifting of weights up to around 70-100 lbs, and tolerance for low levels of grain dust. Basic computer experience with word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software. Additional experience with metal or wood fabrication, photography, 3D solid modeling, or video editing software is helpful but not required.

Work hours are generally flexible except during scheduled training programs; additional summer hours are available, 10-20 hours per week while classes are in session. Prefer a minimum 3-hour time block. It is not a requirement to be an Iowa State Student. However, Preference will be given to students who plan to attend Iowa State in the future.

Please fill out the APPLICATION and email it to agaul@iastate.edu
A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
Remington Seeds

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