Plant Breeders' Rights

[wd9]

Grower, its like asking who was
responsible for the legislative changes in
the CWB Act.

[wmoebis]

What if the equipment companies who
spend millions and millions (years)
engineering,designing and building new
and improved lines, were to charge you
at time of sale of new equipment and
then installed an 'onstar' monitor
system to charge you per hour of use?

This may turn out to be a good thing
for the industry but I'm sure equipment
manufactures would love to be paid for
every hour a piece of equipment is used.
Just be careful what you ask for or give
away.

[perfecho]

Just a bit of goggling and cut/paste.
Seems the major lobbyist is Patty Townsend who is CEO of Canadian Seed Trade Association. (last 12 months)
This is copied from their site:

Headquartered in the nation’s capital, the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) represents the interests of 128 corporate members engaged in all aspects of seed research, production and marketing, both domestically and internationally.

Hope you can make the links work;
this one is the "Office of commissioner of Lobbying of Canada"

https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/clntSmmry?clientNumber=387&sMdKy=1386773533825

List of sponsor's to Canadian Seed Trade Assoc. semi annual meeting:

http://cdnseed.org/cstas-semi-annual-meeting/fall-exhibitors/

List of members to Canadian Seed Trade...this list speaks for itself..

http://cdnseed.org/csta-members/csta-members/

Knock yourself out!

[wmoebis]

I have a question? Actually a few.

Who is going to monitor this new
system? If I buy seed from a grower and
he has accidentally or on purpose mixed
in another variety (like trifid case)
who is liable?
When I sell grain, I sign an affidavit
of variety (that it is of the class) I
am selling into.
In order to monitor UPOV I would
imagine that I will be signing the same
type of affidavit that I am selling a
certain Variety and makes me liable. I
am not sure if we should willing to sign
and put yourself liable if the monitor
finds a mix.

What if the elevator accidentally mixes
my sample when he is sampling my truck.
(It happens)

What if there is a mix of my varieties
through accident or cross contamination
in the field or bin without me knowing.

What if I want to do some blending for
grade improvement?
One variety from one seed grower has no
frost but my other Variety from another
seed grower is frosted and I want to
blend it to improve my grade, do I have
to guarantee my % of blend so that I can
pay one company for on breed and another
for the other? Both companies will want
their share and will be willing to take
me to court for it. (Hudye vs CWB and
Schmeiser vs Monsanto comes to mind)

I am sure these have all been figured
out. Maybe someone that knows can make
it more clear for us.

[parsley]

Good digging, perfecto. Maybe you'd like to begin
a new thread so it doesn't take so long to load?
One the lobbyists are identified, it will be
exceptionally useful to discover what they hope
to gain from their lobbying. Gain is a full word.
Pars.

[parsley]

wmoebus, I've always found it particularly useful
to get answers right from the horse itself so the
words are painted rosy. many of the questions
you are asking will be the same questions the
MP's in standing committees will be asking. Good
idea to read the the MP's questions, and the
replies they got from the horses' mouths, isn't it.
And post them. pars

[parsley]

Grain Brain is an easy read even though it is
written by the only US medical doctor who sports
two doctorates in neurology and in nutrition. But
if you're having comprehension difficulty, you
might consider purchasing an audio copy of Grain
Brain. Pars

[parsley]

I would be willing to send you the audio for
Christmas, wd. Parsley

[wmoebis]

You are right Pars!
I thought the lobbyists were the horses
the MP's were the cart carrying their
message.

[parsley]

Lobbyists ask for legislation. Or policy changes.
Or privileges. MP's say yes or no. But the detail
in the answers the lobbyists supply is often
revealing. Remember , all political MP's get to
ask questions in standing committees. But not all
appearances are standing committees.Spend
your -30 degrees time reading what lobbyists ask
for. And why. Fun. Lol Pars

[sumdumguy]

Central to the issue is the fact that taxpayer
dollars, universities and producer levies support
research projects. IMO, we all should own the
rights. If plant breeders want the profit, we should
step aside and let plant breeders foot the whole
bill. Its called free enterprise - risk and reward.

Registered seed growers replicate the seed and
they deserve to benefit and they should pay a
levy, but once the seed no longer has Seed
Status, according to the Canada Seeds Act,
anyone should be able to grow it without paying
any levy. Just my opinion.

[gustgd]

From AWC

The Honourable Gerry Ritz, M.P. Minister of
Agriculture and Agri-Food 1341 Baseline Road
Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5
November 25, 2013
Re: Modernization of Plant Breeders’ Rights and
adoption of UPOV 91 Dear Minister Ritz,
The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), on behalf
of more than 11,000 wheat producers in Alberta,
acknowledges your recent comments regarding
your commitment to ratify the International Union
for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants
convention (UPOV 91) by August 1, 2014.
AWC supports the modernization of Plant
Breeders’ Rights (PBR) legislation in Canada. We
believe such amendments to PBR legislation will
enable Canada to remain competitive globally by
encouraging investment in plant breeding
research. However, given the additional costs
related to UPOV 91 at the farm level and farmer
concerns the AWC supports the ratification of
UPOV 91 legislation in Canada subject to the
following conditions:
1. Farm-saved seed must be a part of UPOV 91;
2. Maintenance of the current level of federal
government funding of pre-breeding
Genetic research; and
3. Recognition and accommodation for a
farmer/public equity stake in Canada’s proprietary
cereal’s germplasm, which has been developed
over the past 100 years and funded by producer
and tax-payer dollars.
The AWC would be pleased to discuss the above
conditions in detail to ensure farmer support for
this major change in the business model around
genetic research.
We appreciate that the Government has made it a
priority to work to modify legislation to comply with
UPOV 91 and we look forward to its rapid
adoption with the above noted conditions. The
AWC looks forward to working with Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada to improve Alberta’s wheat
producer’s international competitiveness through
access to innovative traits and varieties.
Sincerely,
Kent Erickson
Chairman of the Board Alberta Wheat
Commission

[wd9]

Quite the discovery, the seed trade wants
tighter IP protection. I never saw that
one coming.

Whoda thunk.

[grower99]

Is it correct to assume Ag Canada's
breeders will continue to work on
disease,drought...traits and then have
private breeders use these to release
varieties with fees,royalties and end use
levies. Is this how the Canola Commission
does research as they don't release their
own varieties? No argument needed just
looking for info.

[wd9]

They will, but since the funding keeps
getting cut and no new students enter
breeding, where do you think breeding will
go? We need investment, and we are gonna
have to pay for it.