As the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) was concluding its annual seed research conference and trade show in Chicago last week, word came that arrests had been made in two separate conspiracies to steal seed and trade secrets of U.S. companies.
Arrests were made in two different cases last week. A Chinese national working for the Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Company was charged with allegedly stealing inbred corn seed from production fields in Iowa and Illinois. In the second case, two Chinese scientists were arrested in Kansas after an incident in August when customs officials found stolen seeds in the luggage of Chinese delegation members who had visited the United States.
Interview with ASTA president and CEO Andy LaVigne