All-America Selections announces new trial judges

All-America Selections, a non-profit association that trials and promotes new garden seed varieties, met recently to approve three new judge’s applications.

To become an official AAS trial judge, applicants must have prior trialing experience, have a broad knowledge of flower and vegetable varieties and have a history of careful, methodical trial work. Applications are reviewed by the Combined Judges Committee who make their recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors then votes to approve the Committee’s recommendation.

Here are the new All-America Selections judges:

• Richard Durham, Extension Professor of Horticulture at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. Richard is taking over the AAS Flower and Cool Season Bedding Plant trials for retiring judge Sharon Bale.

• Leslie Finical Halleck, General Manager for North Haven Gardens in Dallas, Texas. This location will now be an AAS vegetable trialing site.

• Steven R. Poppe, Horticulture Scientist for the University of Minnesota in Morris, Minn. This location will now be an AAS flower trialing site.

The total number of AAS judges is now 67. They are located in 30 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.