As a plant breeder/geneticist, I am really pleased to see that there is going to be federal legslation passed to bar genetic discrimination for the general public http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=bill-bars-genetic-discrimination&sc=rss.  Now the only step left is for President Bush to sign the bill.  Back in the Clinton years, a law was passed that protected federal employees only. 
 

Everywhere there are signs of spring, but for me the real sign it is spring is when we start to plant the seeds for the field trials.  Yesterday, one of the students and I planted 52 flats in the afternoon.  We planted tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc.  Now I just can't wait to see the seedlings pop up through the dirt.  Then I will actually know spring is here and summer is on it's way. 
 

It’s that time of year that everyone is getting their seeds ordered for their garden and I am barraged with questions asking about what is the best tomato variety to plant.  To be honest I don’t have a favorite tomato variety. I guess I have tasted too many tomatoes and find that there are many varied uses for the tomatoes to pick just one or two favorite varieties.  My staff has some favorites: Orange King was a big favorite last summer in our field along with Juliet, a large grape or saladette tomato that was a1999 AAS winner.