Seed royalty questions..

[farming101]

Sorry to switch gears here...but can someone answer questions about the CDC...

1. Its owned by the U of S ...right?

2. Varieties with CDC in front of them are developed by them?

3. Why isn't that a profit centre as they sell those varieties to CPS, Monsanto, Bayer, Basf and others..

4. Since the CDC is funded by taxpayers shouldn't the public own those varieties to the point of sale and the sale price should include all costs to that point plus profit plus a ROI to the funders...whether it be the taxpayer, the checkoffs or the excess freight from WGRF?

Or am I just tupid?

WGRF reports royalty income. I don't know if CDC sells varieties or if a royalty share is all they get?

http://westerngrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Final-WGRF_2017AnnualReport_Web.pdf http://westerngrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Final-WGRF_2017AnnualReport_Web.pdf

[walterm]

If all seed companies books look like that I don't think they are suffering too much. If not! I don't think it is a funding problem.

[seedsman]

REPLY to Bucket re: CDC

1. I think the CDC is part of the U of S, but they have partners that partially fund certain breeding programs.

2. Yes

3. As far as I am aware, I don't think CDC "sells" any varieties. They usually licence the multiplication and distribution rights to seed organizations, after accepting bids from interested parties. The seed organization (could be a company, grower group, individual seed grower or Co-op) then multiplies this seed for a few years, and then hopes to sell this seed to commercial farmers. At this stage, the seed company sends a royalty of a certain amount per unit back to CDC. One noteable exception to this was CDC Go wheat. When CDC put it up for tender, no one bid on it because it didn't look the the variety had much potential, so had CDC released it free to seed growers. In some areas of the prairies, it was the most popular wheat for a few years.

A big part of the CDC program is pulse breeding, and most of those varieties have been released royalty free to Saskatchewan growers for the last 15 years or so. The last few years, AB and MB growers have had to pay royalties to use the newest CDC pulse varieties. This agreement with SPG is scheduled to end soon, and CDC is looking for a new system.

4. I think CDC is looking at all funding options now.

[bucket]

REPLY to Bucket re: CDC

1. I think the CDC is part of the U of S, but they have partners that partially fund certain breeding programs.

2. Yes

3. As far as I am aware, I don't think CDC "sells" any varieties. They usually licence the multiplication and distribution rights to seed organizations, after accepting bids from interested parties. The seed organization (could be a company, grower group, individual seed grower or Co-op) then multiplies this seed for a few years, and then hopes to sell this seed to commercial farmers. At this stage, the seed company sends a royalty of a certain amount per unit back to CDC. One noteable exception to this was CDC Go wheat. When CDC put it up for tender, no one bid on it because it didn't look the the variety had much potential, so had CDC released it free to seed growers. In some areas of the prairies, it was the most popular wheat for a few years.

A big part of the CDC program is pulse breeding, and most of those varieties have been released royalty free to Saskatchewan growers for the last 15 years or so. The last few years, AB and MB growers have had to pay royalties to use the newest CDC pulse varieties. This agreement with SPG is scheduled to end soon, and CDC is looking for a new system.

4. I think CDC is looking at all funding options now.

More questions

Isn't tendering a form of selling and the royalties should be enough to cover the costs?

So can anyone go in and buy or submit a bid on the tender for a new variety?

Whats Saskpulse's /CDC plan after giving away a few varieties to processors to become private label????...A gift for a select few ...maybe thats where the focus should be???

[bucket]

I also notice the pop ups on this site for new varieties have testimonials by the seed farms not the end user farmer....sort of like car salesman...

[seedsman]

Reply to Bucket

1. Tenders are for the right to sell a variety, the CDC maintains ownership of the genetics. I have no idea if royalties cover their costs. Not sure if they have a annual report that's public.

2. Almost anyone can make a bid on a variety. They usually put out a notice in February or March asking for bids. You would need to have a plan for seed multiplication, marketing and collecting royalties. For some varieties, they might accept a large cash payment without royalties.

3. Processors may have had to pay for those varieties. I doubt that it is public information. It may be that processors got a niche market variety for free, so they could develop a new market.

4. I don't get pop-up ads on this website. Maybe the ads are for varieties that haven't been grown by commercial farmers yet, so the only experience is from seed growers.

[bucket]

Reply to Bucket

1. Tenders are for the right to sell a variety, the CDC maintains ownership of the genetics. I have no idea if royalties cover their costs. Not sure if they have a annual report that's public.

2. Almost anyone can make a bid on a variety. They usually put out a notice in February or March asking for bids. You would need to have a plan for seed multiplication, marketing and collecting royalties. For some varieties, they might accept a large cash payment without royalties.

3. Processors may have had to pay for those varieties. I doubt that it is public information. It may be that processors got a niche market variety for free, so they could develop a new market.

4. I don't get pop-up ads on this website. Maybe the ads are for varieties that haven't been grown by commercial farmers yet, so the only experience is from seed growers.

On number 3 where is the ROI to the primary producer's paying the checkoff but not one of the chosen to grow the private label....

On number 4....if the seed growers are promoting a variety ....who's responsible if it is a dud?

Why do they say there is a ROI on checkoffs ...none of what's been said is indicating a return....

[the big wheel]

National farmers union again voicing disapproval. Got to give them credit.
Everyone else wakey wakey????

[Guest]

National farmers union again voicing disapproval. Got to give them credit.
Everyone else wakey wakey????

I agree , we have to forget the NFU/NDP days . this is now . and as grass told us before it was happening , the NFU was the only one not bought off by the seed companies? (apologies grass , didn't mean to put words in your mouth , but I thought that when you were telling us)there can be no other explanation of why all the other "so called farm groups" fell silent ??

[SASKFARMER3]

Yea maybe it is time to forget about the NDP/NFU and support them.

Our other groups are broke farmers who think they have cash and brains to understand what’s happening.

It’s the beginning of the end.

[bucket]

It's a very sad day when the people that came asking for your money to support them forget to do the simplest thing.....take care of their interests .....no one is even concerned about agriculture....


10 billion sat in fields on September 15.....crickets.....

There are 2500 farmers leaving each year.....silence...

While the auto sector, bombardier, AGT, etc sucks billions from taxpayers. ...

[grassfarmer]

Here you go folks - the link you need if you want your farm lobbying dollars to work for you instead of against you.

http://www.nfu.ca/join/donate/ http://https://www.nfu.ca/join/donate/

[GOODRUM]

Not many days away, count of hands who will be attending?

[bucket]

Not many days away, count of hands who will be attending?

I received an email that I was registered. ..so I will try to make plans to attend..

[GOODRUM]

I received an email that I was registered. ..so I will try to make plans to attend..

Is it to late to register? Please post the contact number