IPSA Officers and Board members meet regularly with the world’s top genetic and trait providers, including BASF, Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta, and others. These meetings provide IPSA an important opportunity to serve as an advocate for independent seed companies, stressing the role they play in delivering a variety of quality genetics and traits to America’s farmers.

IPSA’s annual meeting takes place each January. The three-day meeting includes the IPSA Business Meeting, business management seminars, concurrent educational workshops and summaries of IPSA member-funded research projects. The IPSA 37th Annual Conference will take place in Indianapolis, IN, January 12-15, 2026.

IPSA also proactively seeks and develops programs that provide direct benefits to its members. Projects range from group buying programs for widely-used products, to services that meet the needs of regional, independent seed businesses.

IPSA’s research program has evolved during the past 20 years. Initially, Members subscribed to research projects from a list of several programs conducted each year. Projects have studied seed treatment efficacy, hybrid and inbred interaction with herbicides, disease screening and more

Today, IPSA’s research program evaluates seed treatment and other seed enhancements, with research locations on member and third-party sites throughout the country. All regular members receive project results each year.

IPSA works with its members to enhance professionalism in the seed industry. Each year, IPSA sponsors seminars on business topics, such as employee/customer relationships, marketing, leadership, communications, employee motivation and succession planning. IPSA members have enthusiastically supported these seminars in field days throughout the year, and during the Annual Conference.

IPSA’s nine-member Board of Directors guides the policies and activities of IPSA. Board members play active roles with “hands-on” duties within the various committees. An individual may hold office for two consecutive three-year terms on the board. Members of IPSA’s three committees, the Education Committee, the Member Services Committee and the Business Development Committee, actively participate in the work of their committee, providing thoughtful input to committee deliberations, and focusing on the best interests of the association and committee goals. The Association addresses research and biotechnology issues and increases the media presence of the industry in an increasingly competitive and dynamic business climate.