Jan. 17, 2014, Ottawa – A group of leading Canadian farmer and
agricultural organizations are joining forces to support Canadian
government legislation intended to improve Plant Breeders’ Rights in
Canada.
Jan. 17, 2014, Ottawa – A group of leading Canadian farmer and agricultural organizations are joining forces to support Canadian government legislation intended to improve Plant Breeders’ Rights in Canada.
Partners in Innovation, which represents farmer and agricultural groups across Canada, believes expanded seed variety protection for plant breeders will promote further investment in seed research and innovation to benefit farmers and the economy.
Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Gerry Ritz, says that legislation Bill C-18, the Canadian Agricultural Growth Act, contains amendments to Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights Act to bring it into conformity with to the 1991 convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV).
IMPROVED VARIETIES THAT DELIVER HIGHER YIELDS AND BETTER AGRONOMICS
The Partners in Innovation commend Minister Ritz and the government for taking the steps needed to strengthen Plant Breeders’ Rights in Canada. This will give both public and private sector plant breeders the confidence and ability to invest in developing improved varieties that deliver higher yields and better agronomics.
This is critical for the future of our farmers and our agricultural industry’s ability to compete in the global market.
“As farms work to match production with the growing global population it becomes increasingly important that they have the tools needed to continue to increase production. New varieties are an important segment of this growth. Ensuring that our plant breeders’ rights regulations are aligned with our global trading partners is imperative,” said Keith Kuhl, President of the Canadian Horticultural Council.
CANADIAN LEGISLATION NEEDS UPDATING
Canada is one of only two developed country UPOV members whose legislation does not comply with UPOV 1991. This puts Canadian breeders and farmers at a competitive disadvantage.
Peter Entz, president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association says that adopting UPOV 1991 “will mean that Canadian breeders will have intellectual property protection tools that are comparable to those used by breeders around the world, opening new markets for Canadian innovations and giving Canadian farmers access to genetics and varieties developed internationally.”
Partners in Innovation members include:
• Barley Council of Canada
• Alberta Barley Commission
• Canadian Horticultural Council
• Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance
• Canadian Potato Council
• Canadian Seed Trade Association
• Fédération des Producteurs de Cultures Commerciales du Québec
• Grain Farmers of Ontario
• Grain Growers of Canada
• Manitoba Pulse Growers Association
• The Prairie Oat Growers Association
• Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association
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