New Tax on Seed??

Editor:

We have had an incredible record in Public Plant breeding in Canada. Our research stations and universities have given us some of the best cereal, pulse and oilseeds in the world. But will it continue?

The federal government under Stephen Harper drastically cut funding to research stations and then passed bill C18.

By cutting funding ,they were hoping for more private companies to fill the breeding gap. Bill C18 “the Agriculture Growth Act” had changes to the seed act, otherwise known as UPOV 91. This change Allowed seed companies a greater ability to charge farmers more and put more Stringent controls on farmers saving seed.

Today five years later, seed companies are wanting to start acting on the changes to the seed act. Recent meetings on how best to go forward ,put out only 2 options. A trailing royalty, or an end point royalty.

Both of these options will cost producers MUCH More with a lot of money going into multinational seed companies.

As a farmer I strongly believe in research and I am willing to pay more levies to keep research Publicy Funded. We do NOT want our seed model going down the road of the Canola example. Remember when Hybrid Canola came out it was $3 a pound , now it’s $13 !!

Farmers need to let your commodity groups, farm groups and politicians know that Public plant breeding needs to be better funded.

Ralph Renwick Cabri, Sask