What's up! Why some are pushing the new seed rules!

[wd9]

With HT canola, it changed the game for public
breeding. Hybrid sealed the deal.

Wheat is not canola, there would have to be some
exceptional traits before it went the way of canola -
but then we would have some exceptional traits and
would buy it, like hybrids with twice the yield,
nitrogen fixing, low gluten toxicity etc.

If, as SF3 says, the 'corporates' corner all the seed
with no real special value, fine, farmers breed their
own varieties, break the 'corporates', problem solved.

I for one would like to skip that step and have farmer
owned partner with government and set this ship
sailing! Also have those varieties and innovations
carefully protected by the new legislation. The dark
and horrible NFU future isn't the only one out there.

[grassfarmer]

jcv,
I can pass on one comment from Australia regarding
forage seed (as these C-18/UPOV'91 rules don't apply
only to cereal seed) Some of the guys down there
aren't enjoying paying end point royalties every time
they take a hay cut.

[jcv]

Upov 91 applies to cutting hay? Would think it
similar to the US, and even wheat seed staying on
farm is fine. I would guess if you combined the
forage, and sold the seed, then would apply

[sawfly]

innovation needs to proceed .
and innovation needs to be rewarded.

killing the public wheat breeding sends the wrong message.

changes everything from being about
advancing our industry to being about
creating a possible all powerful seed monopoly.

i know there may be a half dozen players,
but it would still act like a monopoly .(Look at chemicals) and canola

if you come up with a N fixing wheat
then you should be rewarded.
even with a yearly royalty.

but we get no balances , no assurances , of free and open competition and access.
no gov. breeding apparently

just vague assurances and double speak
from folks like Tom , that in a court are worth squat.

it is canola all over. only with OP varieties
just admit it.

it will be a done deal, nothing we can do about it.
just keep some seed , no matter how alluring , and cheap the new stuff is.
(for starters)
and hopefully they can't outlaw your old seed
before you need it.

[parsley]

Pedigreed cattle breeders enjoyed their own
fiefdom, whereby they finagled a monopoly on
bull usage. Legislation made it illegal to use a
"scrub" bull.

The teaming of the government,(always trying to
"listen" and "help") and the greedy, but both
stupid, guaranteed eventual failure, but
unfortunately not before many commercial
cattlemen were fined, and forced to buy
substandard bulls compared to thee own home
raised bulls.

A scheme is a scheme. Is a scheme. Maybe if
they invented a new word for scheme, it would be
more ...

[wd9]

sawfly, its great to identify the problem
over and over, but what in your view is
the solution?

[charliep]

On the public breeding side, the issue is not facilities/location but rather succession planning/human capacity and ability to bring to market. On the people side, plant breeders will go where the research money is be it public or private. We have to create an environment where plant breeders see Canada and cereals research as a good career choice. Takes a long time to develop this capacity. On the commercialization side, western Canada needs to look at how new cereal varieties are introduced.

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie et,el;,

I was speaking with Dr Hucl (CDC Saskatoon)
yesterday.

Breeding CWRS is a long tough road to a new variety...
still 10-11 years.

Public breeding needs a baseline contribution ... but as
with RR gmo discoveries... which came from public
CDN research... if new ways work well there is a large
school of thought that Private competition will speed
the technology's delivery to the farm gate far faster
than Gov controlled management.

It is very hard to argue this logic is flawed. Hence the
'Science Clusters' which reward innovation with
funding more than past primary research.

With all the growing amounts of Soybeans and Corn in
Manitoba... it is truly hard to defend having the
mainstay of Cereal development in the Red River
Valley.... PERIOD.

Dr Hucl expressed concern that a baseline of cereal
breeding be maintained. The US experience is that
private plant breeding interests wane and surge in the
cereal world. Hence the need to keep a baseline of
public capacity on line. Land Universities in the US are
now that baseline... as we also have plant breeding
capacity in our Canadian universities.

As food production has become a trillion $$$
industry... and integration in the food production chain
becomes more important as time marches on... it is
very hard to argue with a system that best supplies the
needs of those who sell the produce to consumers.

Is the CGC right? Is CIGI right?

Older CWRS Varieties had weaker Gluten strength... as
well as some newer releases. Some markets clearly
need stronger Gluten strength... and the DNS US Hard
red meets the need better than CWRS at this time... is
SOME cases.

Sooooo... the basis we pay now... has much more to do
with a complex situation of many factors... NOT just
the lack of freight capacity to the CDN west coast...
which by the way has NO black oil shipments.

Plant breeding is an expensive difficult game.
Especially in Canada. If you could figure out where
wheat will be at in 10 years on quality requirements...
you could be a billionaire.

I ask...Will folks phase out wheat from their diets???

Interesting times... often throwing money at something
to see where it sticks.... is problematic and
counterproductive.

Just saying.

Have a great day!

[wd9]

Tom, should farmers have a large stake in
ownership of cereal breeding in Canada?
Partner with government, even industry?

[TOM4CWB]

wd9,

Yes farmers already do have a large stake in development of wheat varieties in western Canada. WGRF. Alberta Wheat Commission GF2 $25M Science Cluster progam. Alberta Barley Commission Science Cluster funding and the Millions spent in Lacombe AFC research station with cooperation of Alberta Ag.

Asking for a return from those who benefit from the advancement in genetic enhancements we pay for.. to continue value based grower backed funding... should be a 'no brainer'.???

If we won't put our money in... why should people who have no personal reason to fund wheat varieties?

What have I missed???

[smartyd2]

Would upov91 work if farmers owned rights on the
seed?

[wd9]

Why yes it would, that is what it is for,
to protect the holder. Doesn't matter if
its a farmer or a basketball player, if
they own it, its protected under that and
the seeds act and PBR Act.

What's surprising is how little people
understand of the incredible power within
upov78. Once you do, you see 91 isn't
that big of a leap.