Plant protection bill gets mixed response

Friday, May 1, 2015

In late February, Bill C-18 – the Agricultural Growth Act – received royal assent and passed into law. What it means, and does, appears to be open to interpretation.

A key and controversial component of the bill is its changes to the Plant Breeders' Rights Act (PBRA). According to press reports, the bill will bring Canada in line with UPOV 91 (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, 1991 revision) standards, and provide private- and  publicly-funded plant breeders greater protection over new seed varieties. It will also potentially pave the way for end-point royalties on seed sales, and received widespread support from most Canadian farm groups.

Gary Stanford, President of Grain Growers of Canada, said in a Canadian Food Inspection Agency release that changes to the PBRA are "important for ensuring Canadian farmers have access to the newest seed varieties so that we can remain competitive internationally."

An unattributed statement in a Grain Growers press release, dated Feb. 27, says: "The government has also recognized that it is imperative for grain growers to continue to be able to store, clean and reuse their seeds. This legislation protects farmers by finally enshrining this into law."

Not everyone agrees with this interpretation, however. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Jan Slomp says that Bill C-18 "will primarily benefit agri-business corporations," Exchange Magazine reports. Ann Slater, NFU vice president of policy, who hails from St. Marys, Ont., adds that the bill "constricts farmers' ability to save and re-use seed." BF