ABIC Foundation
The ABIC Foundation was established June 12th, 1998 to secure the continued success of the ABIC conference series. It is a not-for-profit corporation based in Canada.

The Foundation's goal is to ensure ongoing opportunities for continuous learning and networking within the agricultural biotechnology community through the ABIC Conferences.


ABIC Conference History
The ABIC Conference started in 1996 in Saskatchewan, Canada. The success of the ABIC '96 conference paved the way for the '98 conference, which welcomed 900 delegates from 31 countries. Since then the conference has been held in Toronto, Canada (2000), Saskatoon, Canada (2002), Cologne, Germany (2004), Melbourne, Australia (2006) Cork, Ireland (2008) and finally in Bangkok, Thailand (2009)

The Components of ABIC 2010
We are pleased to announce that ABIC 2010 will have an exciting program beginning with a Public Forum  on Sunday the 12th, followed by a welcome reception. The 3 day conference agenda is composed of both plenary and parallel sessions. The conference will host a trade exhibition to provide 46 exhibitors with the opportunity to promote their businesses and products in a professionally presented and marketed exhibition display area. There will also be facilities for scientists (at all stages from PhD to PI) to present and discuss their findings through a poster session.


Delegate Profile
We expect the Conference to attract a significant cross-section of the agbiotech community from around the world. Our target audience includes but is not restriced to:

• Industry leaders

• Investors

• Managers of biotechnology companies

• BioIndustry specialists

• Venture Capital Specialists and Providers

• Entrepreneurs

• Policy makers

• Patent Attorneys & Licensing professionals

• Biotech Manufacturers

• Scientists and engineers (at all levels from PhD to Principal Investigators)

• Animal, plant, energy, microbiology, food & dairy, academic and industry based researchers

• Media professionals

• Legal and other service providers

• Government officials  

• Farmers and agricultural organizations
   

Event information for ABIC 2010

"Agricultural Biotechnology:  Bridging Biology and Business"

The theme for ABIC 2010 will be "Agricultural Biotechnology:  Bridging Biology and Business". Taking a global perspective, scientific and industry leaders will address Agricultural Biotechnology and its impact on world agriculture from meeting the growing demand for food & feed production to the development of sustainable biofuels.

Dates
Sunday, September 12th to Wednesday September 15th, 2010.


Venue
TCU Place, 35 - 22nd Street East,

Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada

ABIC FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jerome Konecsni, National Research Council – PBI, Chairman of the Board, Saskatoon  Canada       

Dr. Wilf Keller, Ag-West Bio Inc.

Dr. Roger Kemble, Syngenta Biotechnology, RTP, North Carolina USA

Dr. Malcolm Devine, Performance Plants, Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada

Dr. Grant Isaac, Cameco, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Prof. Morakot Tantichareon, BIOTECH, Bangkok Thailand (exofficio)

Art Froehlich, AdFarm, Calgary Alberta Canada

Ms. Eva Kwok, Amara International Investment Corp., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Dr. Robert Rennie, Spur Ventures, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada

Dr. Peter Welters, Phytowelt GreenTechnologies GmbH,Cologne, Germany

Dr. Brigitte Weston, BASF Plant Science L.L.C., Durham, North Carolina, USA

Dr. Jocelyn Webster, AfricaBio, Johannesburg South Africa (exofficio)

Bronwyn Dilley, NZBIO, Christchurch New Zealand (exofficio)

Conference Coordinator
ABIC 2010
c/o Ag-West Bio Inc.
101 - 111 Research Drive

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
T: 306-975-1939
F: 306-975-1966



Registration
Delegate registration includes all coffee breaks, lunch on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the Welcome Reception on Sunday night, all plenary and concurrent sessions throughout the conference, entrance to the exhibit area throughout the conference, the networking receptions on Monday and Gala Reception on Tuesday.

Those who wish to attend the conference should complete the online form and submit it to the Conference Coordinator. Each registrant must complete a separate form. For fax or mail registrations, a clean photocopy of the form will be accepted or additional forms can be obtained from the Conference Coordinator, or simply downloaded from the website.

Payment of fees
Note: Registrations will not be processed or confirmed until the Conference Coordinator receives payment in full.  All fees are payable in Canadian funds and may be made by credit card or wire transfer.  When paying by wire transfer, please contact the Conference Coordinator to request the ABIC 2010 banking details.

Payment within Canada
Payment may be made by personal cheque, company cheque or credit card: Master Card, VISA and American Express are the only credit cards accepted at the conference. Please note all transactions by credit card will appear on your statement as payment to "ABIC2010". Cheques should be made payable to "ABIC 2010", and mailed to the conference office at:  101 - 111 Research Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 3R2

International Payment
Payments from outside of Canada must be made by credit card or certified bank cheque in Canadian dollars only. Your name and full address should be typed or printed clearly on the back of the cheque.

Payment Confirmation
Your registration and payment will be acknowledged in writing with confirmation of your requirements according to your registration form. Your registration will not be processed or confirmed if payment does not accompany your form. You will not receive any further publications before the conference. Your letter of acknowledgement will include any further advice necessary prior to your arrival at the conference. At the conference you will receive the final program and list of delegates.

Cancellations and Refund policy
Cancellation requests must be made in writing and sent to the Conference Coordinator by fax or email. Only requests for cancellation made prior to July 31st, 2010 will be refunded less a $100 Canadian administration service charge. Requests for cancellation made after July 31st, 2010, will not be refunded however delegate substitutions for registered delegate will be accepted. Regarding hotel accommodation cancellations, hotel policies apply. See individual hotel policies in the specific hotel website.

Entrance to the conference
Each delegate of the conference will receive a name badge. The badge will be your official pass and must be worn at all times within the facility to obtain entry to all sessions and for external social functions.

Registration desk
The registration desk will be located in the main lobby of TCU Place and will be operational each day of the conference as well as during the afternoon of Sunday September 12th.


Letters of invitation
On request, the organizing committee will send a letter of invitation to participate in the conference. Such an invitation is extended specifically to assist participants to obtain travel funds, or appropriate visas and does not imply any commitment on the part of the organizers to provide financial support. Please contact the Conference Coordinator in writing with your request. The letter will be forwarded to you with confirmation of your registration.
 

Consular Offices' Addresses

Please check here for a list of Consular Offices located in Canada. 

Visitors to Canada

Depending on where you live, and the reason for your visit to Canada, you will need to meet certain entry requirements.  Please visit the Government of Canada website for further details.

Insurance
Registration fees do not include insurance coverage of any kind. It is strongly recommended that at the time you register for the conference and book your travel you take out an insurance policy of your choice. The policy should include loss of fees/deposit through cancellation of your participation in the conference, or through cancellation of the conference, loss of international domestic air fares through cancellation for any reason, loss of tour monies, through cancellation for any reason including airline or related services, strikes within Canada, failure to utilize tours or pre-booked arrangements due to airline delay, or any other reason, medical expenses including sickness and accident coverage, loss or damage to personal property, additional expenses and repatriation should travel arrangements have to be altered. The Conference Coordinator cannot take any responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance. This insurance is to be purchased in your country of origin.


Sponsorship Opportunities
Use ABIC 2010 as a platform to promote your organization, products, and services to this international gathering of leaders in the Agricultural Biotechnology industry. The sponsorship packages provide maximum exposure both leading up to and during the conference.

For more information on taking advantage of this marketing opportunity please contact the Conference Coordinator.


Exhibition
A comprehensive trade show and exhibition will run concurrently with the conference. Exhibiting is a must for any company within the industry to increase awareness amongst the participants.

The Exhibition will showcase the latest development, products, and technology available and will be located in the lower hall where all refreshment breaks and the Welcome Reception will be held. 

Click here to download the Exhibitor Registration form. For more information on exhibiting at ABIC 2010, contact the Conference Coordinator.


Private touring and hospitality arrangements
Should you have any specialized group requirements for private touring, transportation or hospitality services other than those organized for the official program, please contact the Conference Coordinator for information.


Private Functions
It is requested that you advise the Conference Coordinator of any private/corporate functions that might be planned outside of the official program. The Conference Coordinator may be able to assist with arrangements for any of these events.