Glacier FarmMedia – The future of seed royalty fees remains unclear, as does the future of Ottawa’s consultations, which were cut short last year. A federal consultation on the issue was sidelined when the Liberal government turned its attention to the 2019 federal election. Why it matters: The issue of how royalties will be charged […] Read more
Tag Archives plant breeders’ rights
Federal seed royalty consultations remain in limbo
The federal government is looking at economic implications
Can royalties grow investment in cereal breeding?
Proposals would mean levies on the use of cereal seed
In an effort to increase private-sector investment in cereals research, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have tabled two possible strategies designed to promote better returns for plant breeders. Private-sector investment in wheat and barley remains low in comparison to higher value crops such as corn, soybeans, and canola. Why it […] Read more
Plant breeders’ rights consultations started
The consultation phase on amendments to Plant Breeders’ Rights regulations has been launched. The consultation includes increasing Canadian investment in cereals research. “Everyone recognizes the need to invest in innovation in order to deliver new varieties,” said Todd Hyra, president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. “In order to attract and retain the best plant […] Read more
Canterra, Limagrain plan cereal breeding j.v.
Canada’s recent moves to tighten protections of plant breeders’ rights are getting the credit for encouraging a new private-sector joint venture in cereal seed development for the Prairie market. Canterra Seeds and French farmer co-operative Limagrain on Thursday announced they would further tie up their wheat variety commercialization work through a new joint seed breeding […] Read more
Canada ratifies UPOV ’91 seed treaty
Canadian crop commodity groups are hailing the federal government’s move to ratify Canada’s participation in the international UPOV ’91 treaty as a signal the country is “open for national and international investment.” Canada’s representatives to the World Trade Organization, on Friday in Geneva, deposited the government’s “instrument of ratification” for the 1991 Act of the […] Read more
Ritz’s Agricultural Growth Act now law
Banff — There was applause here when plant breeders, seed companies and farmers at the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale heard the Agricultural Growth Act, with its stronger intellectual property rights, was about to receive royal assent. Immediately after the bill received royal assent Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz tabled a treaty […] Read more
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