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Minutes of the October 12, 2000 FRSA Business Meeting
Submitted by Mike Bricker, FRSA Secretary, USDA-REE-ARS, National Seed Storage Laboratory, Fort Collins, Colorado

The October 12 FRSA Business Meeting was held at Arkansas Valley Seed Company, Denver, Colorado.  Richard Agnew hosted the meeting.  Our thanks to Richard for hosting the meeting.

Members and Guests present were Richard Agnew, Barbara Atkins, Mike Bricker, James R. Bruce, Brigette Fishburn, Arnold L. Larsen, Tim Loeffler, Billie Lundberg, Annette Miller, Simer Srivastava, and Gil Waibel.  Guests present for the meeting were Stacy Bieberdorf of the National Seed Storage Laboratory and Laurie Thoma of the Colorado Seed Laboratory.

The meeting was called to order by Annette Miller, President, at 1:10 PM MDT.  Minutes of the July 14, 2000 meeting and Seed Analysts Forum were approved.  The July 14 minutes are available on the FRSA web site: www.frsa.org .  Due to the absence of Treasurer Pat Conine, the Treasurer’s report was presented by Annette Miller.  The Treasurer’s report was found to be in good standing.  Annette provided the Web Page Administrator’s report.  Annette asked for approval to expand the capacity of the web site from 25 megs to 150 megs, at an additional annual cost of approximately $200.00.  The request would allow for high resolution loading of seed plate images.  Low resolution seed plate images will fit onto the existing web site.  Members felt that availability of low resolution seed plate images would be sufficient.  The request was voted down.  Annette indicated there are still 4 years of FRSA newsletter archives to be loaded to the web site.  Additionally, Annette would like to load out-of-print seed plate images as they become available.  Presently, there is capacity on the existing web site for these additions.  Future consideration will be given to increasing web site capacity when the need arises.

Old Business
Gil Waibel, manager of the Colorado Seed Growers Association (CSGA), provided an agenda for the 2000 CSGA Annual Meetings being held in Fort Collins, Colorado, at the University Park Holiday Inn, on November 28 to December 1, 2000.  Of special interest is the Continuing Education session of the meetings dealing with the “Importance of Native Species and Invasive Species in Land Management”, on November 30 and December 1. Due to the importance of this program FRSA will rebate $25.00 on the registration fee for the program to any FRSA member, supporter, or sponsor who attends.  For information regarding the $25.00 rebate contact Mike Bricker by e-mail at mbricker@lamar.colostate.edu, or phone (970)495-2345.  FRSA will provide a table and poster at the meetings displaying information about the Colorado Noxious Weed Seed list.  A committee of Annette, Billie Lundberg, Stacy Bieberdorf, and Tim Loeffler was formed to develop the display for the CSGA meetings. 

Annette reported that no contact had been received from Eric Lane regarding seed samples for the new Colorado Noxious Weed list.  Annette hopes to make contact with Mr. Lane at the CSGA meetings.

There was no report regarding the Continuing Education Points Application Form Committee, with both committee members absent from the meeting.

Arnold Larsen and Tim Loeffler reported on the status of the Distance Education Seed Analysts Course, indicating that between 50 and 60 percent of the total course has been completed.  Tim is working on Internet access to the course.  Arnold indicated that Debbie Meyer is assisting with seed descriptors for the seed plates.   In July, fourteen individuals attended each of the two summer workshops connected with the Distance Education Seed Analysts course.

Barbara Atkins reported that there is no new information regarding the revision to Agricultural Handbook 30.  Barbara did report that SCST in publishing a new RST Training Manual.  The Manual is now available.  Contact Barbara [(303)651-6417, FAX (303)772-4003] for information regarding the new training manual.

Annette sent condolences to the family of Betty Pettie.  Betty passed away in September.  She was a purity analyst at STA for 10 years.   Our thoughts also go to the staff of STA.

There was no other old business

New Business
Annette reported the results of the Peppers referee that developed from the July Seed Analysts Forum regarding the planting of peppers in rolled towels, laid horizontally for 6 days, then set vertically and at a 45 degree slant for the remainder of the test. The reposition to vertical and at a 45 degree slant at the end of 6 days horizontal did indicate less bound root development than having the duration of test positioned vertical from date of planting to evaluation.  Was no firm evidence that positioning at 45 degree slant over vertical indicated less bound root development.  Annette sent the results of the referee to Paul Peterson and Elaine Harris, authors of the paper on bound roots in peppers.

Annette has sent AOSA Rules Proposals for Year 2001 to the AOSA Rules Committee regarding four flower seed species seed counts.  The information pertaining to these Rules Proposals is associated with work performed at the July FRSA Seed Analysts Forum.

Election of FRSA Officers for years 2001-2002 was held.  President is Billie Lundberg, Secretary is Mike Bricker, and Treasurer is Pat Conine.  Annette Miller will continue as Web Page Administrator. 

Schedule of Year 2001 FRSA meetings was set.   Meetings are scheduled as follows:
   Wednesday, January 10, 2001 at Hilleshog, Longmont, Colorado.  Meeting time at
       1:00 PM, MST.  Meeting to be General Business Meeting.  Hosts Mike
Dideriksen and Carri-Ann Bard.
   Wednesday, April 11, 2001 at Colorado Seed Laboratory, Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, Colorado.  Meeting time at 1:00 PM, MDT.  Review of
       AOSA Year 2001 Rules Proposals will be main focus of meeting.  Hosts to be
       Tim Loeffler and the Colorado Seed Lab personnel.
   Friday, July 13, 2001 at National Seed Storage Laboratory, Fort Collins, Colorado.
       Meeting time to be announced.  Meeting format to be announced.  (Meeting
       format and time to be determined at January 2001 meeting.)  Contact person,
       Mike Bricker (970)495-2345, at NSSL.
   Wednesday, October 10, 2001 at STA Laboratories, Longmont, Colorado.  Meeting time
       at 1:00 PM, MDT.  General Business Meeting and possible tour of new STA
       facilities.  Hosts are Barbara Atkins and Mary Loring.

The 2001 FRSA Membership / Supporter / Sponsor renewal form will be redesigned to use window envelopes for mailings. The renewal form, along with the Year 2000 annual report, are to be mailed in December.  There are no changes to the definitions for membership, supporter, or sponsor for 2001.

Arnold Larsen will take possession of and archive the photographic slides for the seed plates used in the “Seeds of Cultivated Flowers” manual.  Annette reported that CD disk writing technology has improved to the point that the 2-disk CD-ROM set of the “Seeds of Cultivated Flowers” has become obsolete.  Annette is working on a new, improved single disk of the seed plate images.  Annette hopes to have a working copy available in December 2000, or early January 2001.

In other new business, was pointed out that the AOSA/SCST Annual Meetings will be held in May instead of June for 2001.  A reminder to mark your calendar accordingly. 

Annette reported that the AOSA Executive Board has approved on-line Internet updates for the TZ Handbook.  The updates will be accessible on the AOSA web site: www.aosaseed.com .  FRSA will keep members advised to when updates are posted.

There being no additional business, the meeting adjourned at 4:05 PM, MDT.
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