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Some of our sponsors have included information about their companies. *
Please note that this is only a partial list of this year's sponsors.



APPLEWOOD SEED COMPANY

5380 Vivian St.
Arvada, CO 80002
(303)431-7333
Fax (303)467-7886
Contact Gene Milstein
E-mail: gmilstein@applewoodseed.com

Applewood Seed Company has a very good narrative of the company at the
Applewood Homepage. Click on the Applewood Seed Company name above,
then click on "About Applewood Seed Company". Applewood Seed has an in-house seed testing lab, Precision Seed Testing, operated by Karin Nastik, RST. Applewood has been an active supporter for many years, and Karin is an active FRSA member.

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ARKANSAS VALLEY SEED SOLUTIONS

4333 Hwy 66
Longmont, Colorado 80504
contact: Richard Agnew, RST
E-mail: ragnew@seedsolutions.com

Arkansas Valley Seeds started as an independent seed testing laboratory in 1983 to assure the quality of our seed, value for our customers and performance of the genetic package.  From its new home in Longmont, Colorado, our well equipped facility is prepared to meet the demands of its customers well in to the future.  Under the direction of
Mr. Richard Agnew, Registered Seed Technologist, the lab specializes in range, forage, native and turf species.  Richard is a member of the International Society of Seed Technologists, Society of Commercial Seed Technologists and Front Range Seed Analysts.  The lab provides prompt and professional services to seed growers, brokers, collectors, seed companies, seed associations and nurseries.

Tests provided include purity, noxious weed, germination, TZ and percent fill.  Testing is done in a fair and unbiased fashion and performed in accordance with the AOSA Rules for Testing.  Results are held in strict confidence.

Arkansas Valley Seed Solutions has been an FRSA sponsor since 1987.

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CONVIRON

2741 Miller Land
Hendersonville, NC 28719
(828)693-6227
contact: Joseph Hildebrand

Conviron, founded in 1964 in Winnipeg, Canada, is the world's leading innovator and supplier of controlled environment chambers and rooms used in agricultural research and other life science applications.

In the near 40 years since our inception, we have focused exclusively i the design and manufacture of plant growth chambers and rooms. Today, Conviron has more experience in designing, supplying and installing large scale, custom engineered, research facilities is unparalleled.

Conviron employs in excess of 140 people, with the majority working out of our headquarters and production facility in Winnipeg. We also maintain a European sales office (Belgium), three U.S. sales offices (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California), and a full time service technician based in Missouri.

Conviron's commitment to product safety, quality and our pursuit of excellence is confirmed through our ISO9001 certification and strict adherence to CSA (C/US) standards.

Our extensive product line includes plant growth chambers, tissue culture chambers, seed germinates, incubators, dew rooms and related products for the precise control of temperature, relative humidity, CO2 and light intensity. Host computer systems allow remote programming and motoring of all environmental control parameters.

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DEAN SWIFT SEED COMPANY
PO Box B
Jaroso, CO  81138
phone:  719-589-3499     fax:  719-589-3299  
www.deanswiftseed.com

Dean Swift Seed Company is a wholesale producer of souther Rocky Mountain conifer seeds and native wildflower seeds.  Wholesale only.


HILLESHOG
Parent Company: SYNGENTA SEEDS, INC.

1020 Sugarmill Road
Longmont, CO 80501
(303)776-1802
Fax (303)776-4695

Syngenta Seeds, Inc. / Hilleshog is number one in sugarbeet seed sales in North America. The lab performs purity, germination and emergence tests. Formerly known as Hilleshog Mono-Hy, the company pioneered the development of the single-germ sugarbeet seed. Hilleshog was established in Sweden in 1907. The town of that name was long known for its sugarbeet seed production. Great Western Sugar Company opened a sugarbeet breeding and research center in Longmont, CO in 1910. Its Mono-Hy brand set an industry standard. In 1985, Hilleshog acquired the Mono-Hy Seed Division of GreatWestern. The Swiss company Sandoz bought Hilleshog Mono-Hy in 1990. In the 1990's, a state of the art sugarbeet seed processing facility was built at Longmont and the company is famous today for its "Fasonated" sugarbeet seed. In the mid 1990's Sandoz merged with Ciba to form Novartis Seeds, Inc. As of January 2001, Syngenta Seeds, Inc., is the new parent company for the agribusiness companies of Novartis and Zeneca, forming the world's largest agribusiness company.

Syngenta Seeds, Inc. / Hilleshog has been an FRSA sponsor since 1987 (then known as Hilleshog Mono-Hy, Inc.).

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Illinois Crop Improvement Association
Box 9013
3105 Research Road
Champaign, IL  61826-9013
email:  ilcrop@ilcrop.com
contacts: Gary Cook, RST,    Doug Miller, RGT

Quality seed testing has always been a source of pride for Illinois Crop Improvement Association (ICIA) and its members. The seed laboratory has been staffed by qualified, well-trained, experienced analysts from the very beginning. The seed lab managers or directors have been registered members of the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists since the 1960’s, more than 40 years. At the present time, our permanent staff consists of a seed lab director/registered seed technologist with 30 years of seed testing experience, an assistant seed lab director with 17 years of experience in the seed industry and four seed analysts with numerous years of experience in the seed industry and seed testing.  All of our seed lab personnel have agricultural backgrounds, which we see as an important asset when it comes to testing seed. 

We will not recommend testing of any kind that does not benefit you, the people we serve. The ICIA seed laboratory offers top quality seed testing on a timely basis at a reasonable rate. The seed laboratory is capable of conducting a wide variety of traditional seed tests on a wide number of crop species. We can meet your other seed or grain testing requirements through ICIA’s Identity Preserved Grain Laboratory, Field Services/Greenhouse for genetic testing or Puerto Rico Winter Farm for growouts, nursery and winter production needs.

web site:  http://www.ilcrop.com/




MID-WEST SEED SERVICES, INC.
236 32nd Avenue
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-7611
Fax (605) 692-7617
Contact: Tim Gutormson
Email: info@mwseed.com

Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. is a full service seed testing laboratory conducting germination, vigor, herbicide trait, physical and genetic purity, and GMO trait (ELISA/protein, DNA/PCR, bioassays) testing.  We test over 300 species every year including: corn, soybeans, alfalfa, canola, sorghum, sunflowers, cereals, grasses, native grasses and forbs, flowers and vegetables.  MWSS has ISTA Orange and Blue Certificates available for seed export.  The company has been in business since July of 1993 and works with over 1500 seed company accounts from 43 states and varoius countries. 

MWSS quality policy is to provide customers with quick, accurate and diagnostic agricultural and food testing services with an emphasis on utilizing current technologies, educating clients and continually improving our services.

MWSS is an ISTA accredited laboratory, and is ISO 9001:2000 certified.

Web site: www.mwseed.com

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NEW MEXICO STATE SEED LABORATORY
New Mexico State University
P.O. Box 30005, MSC 3190
Las Cruces, NM 88003
(505)646-3407
Fax (505)646-5977
contact: Richard Kochevar
E-mail: rkocheva@nmda-bubba.nmsu.edu

The New Mexico State Seed Laboratory has been a former sponsor of FRSA.
FRSA is pleased to have regained their support in 2001 and again for 2002.

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OLIVER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.

P.O. Box 512
Rocky Ford, CO 81067
(719)254-7814
contact: Jim Thomas
E-mail: oliver@ria.net

For more than 70 years, Oliver Manufacturing Company has been producing Gravity Separators and Stoners for processing seed and other free flowing materials. Oliver Gravity Seperators and Stoners are in use worldwide. In 1999, Oliver Manufacturing Company received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Exporting.

Models are available for Agricultural, Mining, Recycling, and Industrial applications.
See the Oliver Manufacturing Company ad in the Thomas Register or call at (888)254-7813.

Oliver Mfg. Co., Inc. has been an FRSA sponsor since 1991.

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PAWNEE BUTTES SEED, INC.

P.O. Box 100
605 25th Street
Greeley,CO 80632
(970)356-7002
Fax: (970)356-7263
contact: Don Hijar
E-mail: pawneeseed@ctos.com

Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. is Colorado owned and operated by Don and Janine Hijar. The company is named after a formation of two buttes located at the Pawnee national Grasslands in northeastern Colorado. Don and Janine have 30 years experience in natural resources and the seed business.

Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. provides quality native and introduced grass, forb, alfalfa, legume, and shrub seed for reclamation,pasture and turf at competitive prices. The qualified sales staff at Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. can design custom mixes for individual situations.

Don has assembled a team at Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. that is committed to providing quality seed at reasonable prices with honest recommendations and prompt delivery.Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. strives to provide the highest quality seed, good service and sound advice.

Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. has supported FRSA as a sponsor since 1987.

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RANSOM SEED LAB

PO Box 300
Carpentia, CA 93014
(805)684-3427
Fax (805)684-4157
contact: Aleta Meyr
Email: RansomSL@silcom.com

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SHARP BROS. SEED COMPANY

101 East 4th Street. Rd.,
Greeley, CO 80631
(970) 356-4710
contact: Steve Edwards
E-mail: sedwards@sharpseed.com

Sharp Bros. Seed Company produces native grass seed and cultivars suitable for the high plains. Gail Sharp, Art Armbrust, Wayne Vasser, Judith Rodgers, and Daniel and David Sharp actively work with conservation agencies, cattleman's associations, reclamation agencies, farmers, ranchers, and prairie restoration groups. After their military service, the brothers Gerald and Gail Sharp returned to their father's business, Sharp Grain Co. The government's Soil Bank program was the impetus for the brothers' first work drilling grass seed on highly erodable farmland and their first efforts cultivating native seed and harvesting from native stands. Younger brother Mark helped out and in 1958; Sharp Bros. Seed Company was formed. Today Sharp Bros. Seed Company serves the entire nation and has international customers. Production includes summer annual forages, seed wheat, alfalfa, roadside and disturbed site reclamation, traditional and not-so-traditional turf seed. Sharp Bros. supplies seed to selected regional seed companies who then distribute the Buffalo Brand product. The company is headquartered in western Kansas, where the primary seed production and conditioning facilities are located. The Greeley branch office serves the Rocky Mountain region and points west. The affiliate Sharp Bros. Seed Co. of Missouri handles secondary seed production and cleaning. The Missouri branch also produces and distributes "native" wildflower seeds.

Sharp Bros. Seed Co. has been an FRSA sponsor since 1989.

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SOUTHWEST SEED, INC.

13260 CR29
Dolores, CO 81323
(970)565-8722
contact: Walt and Lynne Henes
swseed@direcway.com

Southwest Seed is a producer, conditioner, and marketer of grass seed (reclamation, turf and forage species) flower seed, small grains and alfalfa. In the late 1960's, Walt and Lynne Henes began by farming high altitude seed potatoes in southwest Colorado. Difficulty with freezing weather compelled the Henes to replace the fields with grass and flowers. In the early 1970's the first cleaner was purchased. Since then, Southwest Seed has expanded to include two offices, several dealers and 500 acres of irrigated production. Southwest Seed strives to cover a wide range of customer needs. One area we are currently working on is supplying native seed of species that are not currently available. Walt and Lynne have an office in Cortez and a crew of 10.

Southwest Seed has been an FRSA sponsor since 1994.

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STA LABORATORIES

Colorado branch:
821 Vista View Dr  
Longmont, CO 80502-1257    
(303) 651-6417  
Fax (303) 772-4003                 

California branch:
5653  Monterey   Frontage Rd
Gilroy,  CA  95020
(408) 846-9964
Fax (408) 846-9954

STA Laboratories, Inc. founded in 1987 is the only independent provider of a full range of diagnostic services to the seed and plant industries.  Featuring three professionally staffed business units our mission is to help our clients succeed and make confident, informed product decisions by providing accurate and timely testing services, including a range of disease diagnostic services.  STA Seed Quality provides seed analysis, laboratory seed health testing, bacterial fruit blotch grow outs and IEF electrophoresis hybrid purity testing services to seed clients.  STA Genomics offers molecular marker technology to seed and life science companies.  Our services include Trait Mark, Genomic Mark and Variety Mark technologies with high through-put capabilities for results you can trust. STA Plant Health features diagnostic services for grapevines, potatoes and other propagated plant industries.  In addition, our plant health services offer disease diagnostic testing, quality Bioreba Ag products and live plant inoculation for breeding disease resistance.

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Remembering Mildred and Bruce Thornton


Remembering Mildred Lyon

Mildred Lyon Thornton, former director of the Colorado Seed Laboratory, died Saturday, March 28, 1998. A memorial service was held for her at the Foothills Unitarian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado on April 4, 1998.

Mildred Lyon was born July 5, 1904 in Denver, Colorado. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1926 and a master's degree in plant physiology and seed taxonomy in 1928 from Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) becoming the first woman to do so at C A&M. She began her life's work as a seed analyst in her sophomore year in college and was mentored by Anna Maude Lute, grass taxonomy professor and chief seed analyst at the Colorado Seed Laboratory. During her graduate studies, Mildred met fellow botany student Bruce Thornton. After graduation she left Fort Collins to work as a junior botanist at the Federal Seed Laboratory in Washington D.C. Bruce followed her east and they married there on December 16, 1929. Bruce and Mildred returned to Fort Collins where Bruce accepted a full-time job as a seed analyst at the Colorado Seed Laboratory. Mildred worked with Anna Lute researching germination and dormancy of seeds.

Mildred and Bruce had two children and for the next twenty years Mildred raised her children and worked intermittently at the Seed Lab. She volunteered for 20 years with the Girl Scouts and helped found the Fort Collins League of Women Voters. She was a charter member of the Colorado/Wyoming Academy of Sciences and worked on the board of the Community Chest, now known as the United Way. Bruce was named director of the Colorado Seed lab in 1941. A state policy that prohibited two family members from working at the same office kept Mildred off the official payroll for years. However, she continued her work on a part-time basis, mainly working without pay. When her husband retired in 1961, Mildred took over as director of the Laboratory.

Throughout her nine year tenure as director, Mildred oversaw the move of the lab to new facilities and continued the lab's reputation as a leader in seed research and training of seed analysts. Her excellent work earned Mildred several awards including Colorado State's Henry Award, Honor Alumnus, and Honorary AOSA member. Colorado's seed industry also recognized her distinguished service with an award from the Colorado Seed Grower's Association. Mildred was The AOSA's representative at ISTA's 15th biennial meeting held in New Zealand. She retired in 1970 but continued to serve the profession through her roll on the advisory board for the Larimer County Voc-Tech Seed Analysis program during the 1980's. She had been a sponsor for the Front Range Seed Analysts since 1988.

One daughter, one sister, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive her. Mildred was preceded in death by her husband, son and brother. Memorial contributions may be made to the Thornton Lecture fund at the CSU Foundation or the Fort Collins Public Library. Mildred's remarkable dedication and consummate seed analysis skills are inspirational. She will be greatly missed.

Submitted by Dr. Arnold Larsen

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Fort Collins Public Library at 201 Peterson St., Fort Collins, CO 80524 or the newly established endowment for the Thornton Lecture Fund. The lectures by visiting scientists will be in the fields of botany, plant sciences or biological sciences. Checks for the endowment should be made out to "CSU Foundation" fund number 47395-Thornton Lecture Fund. The address is: CSU Foundation, 502 University Services Center, Fort Collins, CO 80523.

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Remembering Bruce J. Thornton 1895-1992

Bruce J. Thornton, former head of the Colorado Seed Laboratory, died on November 23, 1992 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Born in Berthoud, Colorado in 1895 to pioneer parents, Mr. Thornton led a distinguished career in the fields of seed analysis, weed science and agronomy.

After Serving in World War I, Mr. Thornton attained his bachelor's and master's degrees from Colorado State University. He also did graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. When he returned to Colorado, he and his wife Mildred Lyon Thornton worked for the Agricultural Experiment Station. Mr. Thornton was a member of the CSU teaching faculty and was head of the Colorado Seed Laboratory from 1941 to 1962.

His scientific articles showed a thorough and precise approach to experimentation. When equipment was not available, he invented it. For his studies of low germination in sorghum, he developed a new respirometer. He designed the first dry germinator. He also co-authored the still widely used text "Weeds of Colorado" (editions in 1933, 1941, 1964, and 1974).

Mr. Thornton was active in the Association of Official Seed Analysts. AOSA made him an honorary member in recognition of his outstanding contributions. He was one of the organizers and presidents of the Western Seed Official's Association that included federal and state law enforcement personnel. In 1940, he rewrote the Colorado Seed Law. Weed control legislation was later enacted under his guidance. He was a life time member of the Colorado Seedsmen's Association, recipient of the Colorado Seed Grower's Award, and a sponsor for the Front Range Seed Analysts.

During his career he pioneered the study of weed control and led investigations of chemical and cultural weed control. In 1938, he helped organize the Western Weed Control Conference, served as its president and held other offices. The organization served as a model for three additional conferences in the United States and resulted in the formation, in 1956, of the Weed Science Society of America, including Canada. He was an honorary member of the Western Society of Weed Science and Fellow of the Weed Science Society of America.

Mr. Thornton was one of the founding members of the Colorado-Wyoming Academy of Science and was made an honorary member. He was a life fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and served on its governing council. Among the many other organizations in which he held membership are: the board of Directors of the CSU Alumni Association, CSU Athletic Council, Rotary, Masonic Lodge, CSU Men's Science Club, Foothills Unitarian Church, and Veterans of World War I. The Alumni Association gave him the CSU Alumni Award and the Henry Award for Outstanding service.

Additional biographies may be found in "Who's Who in Colorado," "Who's Who in the West," and "American Men of Science."

At the June 1993 AOSA-SCST annual meetings in Fort Collins, a book display was dedicated in his honor and the books were donated to the Colorado State University Morgan Library.

Mr. Thornton's survivors include a daughter, Barbara Frey of Lafayette, California; a son, Bruce Lyon of Fort Collins; and four grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fort Collins Library or the Colorado State University Morgan Library.

Information about Mr. Thornton was compiled by Annette Miller, February 1993, updated January 2002.

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