Plant Breeders' Rights

[grower99]

How many have googled UPOV'91. It will
come into effect, Ritz says, the summer of
2014. Is this the thin edge of the wedge
for a canola model for cereals? Is this
what growers want or is it being forced on
us? What are its benefits,threats?

[bgmb]

There is no direct benefit to growers whatsoever. Seed companies and their owners like it because it means they can collect royalaties on non certified seed that they did not produce.

This is the ultimate screw job for wheat farmers. We will fund variety development but we will not own it. Let them use IP contracts if they want to collect royalties on every bushel of their genetics that is seeded.

Seed comapnies want their cake and eat it too. Farmers will grow their own seed and pay the seed companies to do it.

Seed companies know there is no possible way they can provide enough certified seed to seed every wheat acre in Canada so this is the back door way of generating revenue without actually providing a product.

End rant

[wd9]

bgmb, so are you saying we need more seed
growers? Sounds like an business
opportunity.

[hobbyfrmr]

Bgmb, if what you describe is accurate, this is a bad deal for farmers. This is what happened to the canola seed market. What is a method of action to stop this? Contact our MLA's?

[Hopalong]

Lack of ratification for UPOV91 is only one of
several things that make our cereal seed system
different from that of the USA.
Variety registration requirements and their lack of
federal government mandated authority are
important differences.
If we want a more harmonized and friction free
trading relationship with the US, it is high time we
moved toward a system similar to theirs instead of
a made in Canada one.

[bgmb]

Yes because the US is different it must be better. Lets not debate the facts lets just forge ahead blindly to align ourselves with our neighbours to the south.

[grower99]

A strong public breeding program will help
our industry.Why do we appear to be moving
away from this strategy? The pulse
industry and its close relationship with
the Crop Development Centre at the U of S
has a model which produces the best
varieties at a reasonable cost. Why do we
need this new legislation? What are the
direct benefits for farmers? Somebody must
be able to explain.

[malleefarmer]

said it before farmer are allowed to grow there own seed full stop.
Overt he fence trading is allowed at breeders discretion as long as end point royalties are paid here I Australia.
How do you guys expect to fund breeding?
I purchase 2 tonne of latest and greatest wheat barley for usually $700 to 1000 per tonne bulk it up for seeding year canola same with op types don't see what the issue is

[Rareearth]

Bgmb, a good summary thank you. If he's not
accurate in the summary I hope someone can add
more.
Competativness,, we pay for seed, royalties on
the seed side, higher chemical prices etc, etc, ...
We export or they some how find them growing in
other countries that compete strongly in the same
markets, ie Eastern Europe, Argentina, Russia or
china, etc we subsidize others to compete against
us, not a good model. No easy solutions either
just saying

[wd9]

Is farming a business or a charity of
ideals? You don't like the canola model
why? Because you net too much an acre?
Rather you be growing 20 bushel crops
spraying centurion, muster, edge....? Is
paying for new technology and varieties a
bad thing?

[wd9]

"NFU president Terry Boehm said
amendments to the existing act could be
a significant infringement on farmers’
rights.
"

Farmers have no 'rights'. Its a
privilege given to farmers only if the
breeders want to give up their own
legislated rights.

So many misconceptions.

[bgmb]

Exactly WD9, Seed companies can use contracts to limit the the use of grain grown from certified seed just as they do in the canola seed industry. Farmers can then choose to pay or not to pay. so why do we need to change this system? for the reasons I listed above....