Pedigreed Seed Grower Policy

[charliep]

Perhaps where your model fails is commercialization - taking plant breeding
from the research and moving it from the regulatory approval process until it
is finally available to the farm community. Government and university (as well
as farmer funding organizations) are not set up to do this.

You seem to be promoting the Australian model - GRDC funding and from
there a plant breeding structure where revenues are shared between the public
breeding sector (universities), private companies and the GRDC.

[parsley]

Structure has to stem from who owns the patent.

In the case of Triffid, the patent was sold to a private corporation. It could have been sold to SWP/Pioneer. They should have been responsible for the risks. But how did that work?

If a University or test station retains patent ownership, it is a different situation. They own the patent. And the public takes the risk

You see, charliep, if you believe in free enterprise, it basically boils down to

ownership = responsibility

Each division of financial/ownership responsibility must be clearly defined as say, a service provider or an owner, shareholder, etc.

Canadians simply cannot tolerate a cluster of biotech companies developing a novel plant with public money,for example, getting the university to distribute it to a bunch of farmers to grow as well as sell them the designer chemicals, and then walk away from all responsibility.

Mussolini would approve of total private ownership backed with public responsibility/funding, but then I'm not a real fan of his, so I admit I'm a bit prejudiced.

[sawfly]

parsley i did not think we agreed on much . but i fully agree with what you say on this issue.

[gustgd]

March 4, 2010 / Saskatoon

Federal Tax Credit for Farmers on Check-off Investments

The federal government annually provides a Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit to producers offering them money back on their check-off investments.

The tax credit percentage for producers who contributed to the Wheat and Barley Check-off (administered by the Western Grains Research Foundation) in 2009 are 83% for wheat and 76% for barley.

It should be noted that the check-off on barley in Alberta is collected by the Alberta Barley Commission and will be subject to a different tax credit rate.

The percentages above are calculated by looking at the amount of the check-off dollars spent directly on research, this is then determined to be the eligible portion. Each check-off organization may vary, as they will have their own eligible percentage.

The tax credit is earned at a rate of 20% for individuals and 35% for corporate producers that are Canadian controlled private corporations (CCPC).

Producers who choose to opt-out of the program are not eligible for the tax credit.

Doing the Math - A Wheat Example
If a producer contributed $300 to the Wheat Check-off in 2009, the eligible amount would be calculated by taking 83% (the wheat percentage) of the $300 = $249.

If the producer files taxes as an individual they would take the $249 and would earn 20% of this amount as a tax credit = $49.80.

For producers who file as a corporation, they would earn 35% of the $249 as a tax credit = $87.15

Producers can visit the WGRF website at www.westerngrains.com under the Current Info tab for links to the Canadian Revenue Agency website where the appropriate forms can be obtained and options for tax credit use are outlined.

For more information on claiming your SR&ED tax credit, please consult your accountant or visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.



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For further information, contact:



Mike Espeseth

Western Grains Research Foundation

306-975-0365

[charliep]

Liability is one of the many issues that should be in a R & D policy. Perhaps my questions relate to who does research, who commercializes, who takes the risks including liability in the case of gene flow/other things and finally who benefits. You may disagree but Canada is pretty mixed up mess when it comes to answering these questions. There is more clarity (at least looking from the outside) in our competitors processes. While Canada spends time beating on each other up and down the supply, other regions are making real progress in putting useful new varieties in front of farmers. Our system puts Canada at a competitive disadvantage to regions including Europe/its policy on genetic engineering.