Plant Breeders’ Rights and Farmers Know the New Rules!

[tweety]

With tears in his eyes and sniffles Saskfarmer wrote:

What happens when the grain companies get together with the seed companies and say MR farmer yes you can save your seed no problem but not with this new super #2479 variety that we created. See we will only buy it from you if you buy certified seed every single year. No were not purchasing other varieties as market doesn't want them. Sorry that nice hard red spring you have is feed. Ah we will buy it for feed though no problem. Our new variety is 2 dollars bushel better return than your feed.

This is a question about new rules of the seeds act?

Not in the least, the option has always been there. Don't sign the contract.

[iceman]

Tweety, as soon as you start having your name written on the bottom right of the cheque instead of the middle top line you will change your tune.

Over & Out

[furrowtickler]

Tweety - soon you will have no choice .
I agree that farming here in western Canada is the better of many other areas, or was until now but something smells with this - JMO . Not whining , just observing from 22 years within the seed business where I sold canola for $1.50/lb now $12 plus . It will happen with all other seed you wish to plant within 5 years - I will bet a bottle of rum on it.
I can see my and your on farm seed costs tripling in that time period . If my net returns triple - not a prob but If you think the risk of farming is getting high now - just wait .....
Tom is beating his drum on railways now , but he knows full well his farms future will prosper immensely with UPOV 91 at the expense of your farm shortly. Your overall seed costs will tripple at least.

It's a clasic case of don't look here , look over there at those bad guys - why do you think he is not pointing fingers at line co's ? ?? They will be a big part of his future meal ticket . I could be wrong , but I will gladly pay anyone a bottle of rum in five years time that proves me otherwise.

[tweety]

iceman, i find it interesting that you and others feel that if a farmer is making money, ships grain in a timely manner, and makes money, they can't be a farmer.

Word of advice. Change how you do things so you are profitable. Or do something else.

Do you and sask have to dream up the most horrible future possible and fixate on it? Do you feel that powerless?

Tell me one good thing UPOV 91 will do for your farm?

[farmaholic]

Furrow, I'll bet the whole ****ing distillery your analysis is right. We won't see it overnight but it will evolve.

Let's all become certified seed growers and sell each other seed. Kinda like the games in the purebred cattle business. If people truly think old varieties won't be deregistered and not fit into the appropriate classes where they came from, their head is so far up their ass they need oxygen pumped up to survive. Wake the **** up, you can't be that blind.

[farmaholic]

Ok iceman and SF3, time to change how you do things.
Put away that 28 run double disc drill you pull with that team of horses, sell or put the horses out to pature. Pull the threshing machine to the back forty and park it against the fence. Scrap the old plows and disc harrows. "Burn" all the old grain bins for winter heat. Park the old grain wagons at the end of the lane as a landmark for where you live. Get with the times already you Neanderthals.

Like farmer's have never adapted to or adopted new technology and innovation. They are a resourceful and a resilient bunch. Something can be said for anyone who has made it this far. Many quit, many a potential farmer was discouraged by their parents, we're not here because "its easy", most people in their right minds couldn't handle or cope with the risk and steady diet of bullshit. In a way....against all odds. Congratulations you're a survivor, you must have done something right.

[seabass]

Right on both points furrow! Tommys an old politician from way back. Not that I disagree with him on railways but easy distraction from Upov91. This rule opens up the ability of the big boys to sell us more seed and control the industry.

[TOM4CWB]

seabass,

To be truthful, the new rules are for future genetics...

The 'Plant breeders Rights' system was put in place long ago. Use of certified seed has long been an operational standard for much of the Identity Preserved products end users require. ISO, is standard amongst graino's long before UPOV91.

I see nothing in the new system that radically changes anything. Please remember, this has been the operational standard in the international procurement system since 1991.

I see nothing in the USA, EU, Australia, any of our major international competition for quality food grains, that would indicate a radical shift from present operational standards which generally asks for proof/audit trail for purity of these grains.

We are simply formalizing a little bit better what we have been doing for decades... and I really see no change in the profitability of seed growers' farms.

We truly need more innovation by plant breeders in the future... to reduce costs and use of pesticides... which is where the international food procurements system is headed. In the long term... this does nothing but make us here in Canada, more dependable suppliers of quality food for the global marketplace. This is required... to respectfully request a fair price for quality grains we provide.

OUR future becomes more reliable as a supplier... in one small way...this can't be bad... if we are to expect/command a premium price for our produce.

[farming101]

I cannot see why open pollinated non-GMO type plant breeding needs hundreds of millions of dollars thrown at it each year to make advancement. It is strang that recently there have been articles in farm mags about our great wheat variety heritage starting with Marquis.
Also how much work the plant breeders have accomplished in just the last few years.
What the large seed companies see is dollar signs. They will use high tech to design the new varieties. Terminator genes, GMO, all of it will be back in the news. It will be forced through.
Those seed companies will demand return on investment.
So, if the seed costs many times more to develope than seed does now, I would think seed prices are going straight up.
I'm boycotting any new UPOV91 varieties as long as I can.

[furrowtickler]

Well , time will tell Tom . I have a very bad taste in my mouth on a new 'protected' hrsw variety from last year , we had to pay a fortune for it , lots of hype about it , had to drive to the elevator to get it , wait in line for 3 hrs so they could treat it with a new pos treater that I would throw in the bush, could not keep for seed - and it was garbage beside our farm saved seed. 10 bus less and fell flat on the ground .
I seen a flash of the future on that 80 ac - and it raised the hair on my neck .
Sorry , I see a much diff future than what you are telling everyone - I hope your right and I am wrong .