AAIC 2026 Venue Hotel

The meeting takes place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina
in Berkeley, California. A block of rooms will be reserved for conference attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina
200 Marina Blvd, Berkeley, CA 94710
510-548-7920

The hotel sits on the Berkeley Marina with bayfront paths and parks, and is convenient to both
Oakland International Airport (OAK) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
Other hotels are also located nearby (Visit Berkeley).

Plan Your Visit: Bay Area

Explore Northern California while you’re here.

Plan Your Visit

More Bay Area cities: Oakland · Berkeley · San Jose

Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops

Industrial crops are utilized for non-food and non-feed applications. These plants provide raw materials and products such as energy, starch, oils, fibers and rubber that are used in different industries.

The Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops is an international, nonprofit educational and scientific organization established to encourage and promote the activities on industrial crops and products.

The AAIC was reincorporated in 1988 from the Guayule Rubber Society, with chapters in California (Los Guayuleros) and Arizona (Arizona Guayule Society).

Membership Rates

Membership: Professionals $100 · Students $50

2025 AAIC Gail H. Dahlquist Special Recognition Award

Dr. Burton L. Johnson
Dr. Burton L. Johnson

Professor Dept. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University

Burton is well known for his gentle and caring approach as an outstanding educator, mentor, consultant, and as a member of the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops (AAIC) board of directors.

The greatest impact to industrial crops research is likely Burton’s 49-years of involvement with the National Crop Insurance Services to update and initiate crop hail loss charts for numerous crops including barley, borage, canola, crambe, dry bean and pea, hard red spring wheat, hemp, safflower, soybean, and sunflower. Likewise, his research related to stand establishment and harvest management has also had a considerable impact on advancing best management practices for crops including camelina, canola, cuphea, dry bean, hemp, niger, sorghum, soybean, and sunflower.

Burton’s involvement and service within AAIC, since 2004, has been outstanding. He has served as President (2011), Chair of the Oilseeds division (2006), Treasurer (2016-2025), and has attending most of the annual meetings. His 10 years of dedicated service as AAIC Treasurer have helped to keep this society healthy and in the black. Further, those that have had the pleasure of attending AAIC awards dinners, where Burton served as Master of Ceremonies, understand the incredible professionalism he brings to the society.

In addition to AAIC, Burton has been a long-term member of the tri-societies (ASA, CSSA, and SSSA) and has served as Chair of C03 Division, on the National Sunflower Review Board, and the K-12 committee. His impact in the industrial crops community is further evidenced by service on Crop Councils and Advisory Boards, Experiment Station Service, presentations at Field Days and Crop Scout School, and his contributions to Specialty Crop Promotion Activities – particularly with cuphea and industrial hemp.

Based on his impressive dedication and service to AAIC and his impact on the advancement of industrial crops, it is an honor for AAIC to recognize Dr. Burton L. Johnson with this well-deserved award.

Congratulations Burton!