Seed association’s Andy LaVigne honored with prestigious NAPB award

The National Association of Plant Breeders recently honored American Seed Trade Association President & CEO Andy LaVigne with its 2021 Friends of Plant Breeding Award.

The prestigious award honors individuals whose career may or may not have been involved in plant breeding, but who, through their professional activities and passion, have contributed significantly to the advancement of the plant breeding discipline.

LaVigne has been directly and energetically involved as an advocate for plant breeding and agriculture throughout his career, first as a legislative assistant in Florida, and subsequently as a special assistant to the chief of staff for the U.S. Office of Secretary of Agriculture, CEO of the Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association, and CEO at Florida Citrus Mutual. He has served at the helm of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA)  since 2006.

LaVigne has encouraged ASTA collaboration with the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) in many ways. He regularly attends NAPB meetings and is actively engaged with the NAPB Executive Committee to expand the organization’s footprint, especially with respect to regulatory issues, policy, and agricultural trade. He has pushed NAPB to be involved at the regional, national, and international level with various government and stakeholder groups, and has provided critical guidance on events with NAPB in Washington, D.C.

The 2021 NAPB awardees exemplify the very best in plant breeding research, education, outreach, and leadership.