The debate about Canada finally adopting UPOV 91 has transpired all winter. For some in the seed industry the inclusion of UPOV 91 being included in the Canadian Federal Government’s Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18) has been a long time coming.
The NFU has been strongly trying to convince farmers and the general public that Bill C18 is nothing more than Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz executing his duties as a big biotech seed company shill. According to independent oat plant breeder Jim Dyck, nothing could be further from the truth.
RELATED: Read the FAQ on UPOV 91
Dyck owns Oat Advantage an oat breeding start up based in Saskatoon that sees immense benefits for plant breeders, seed companies (of all sizes) and farmers in the adoption of UPOV 91 in Canada. I traveled to Saskatoon to talk to Jim at his research farm to get his insight into how an independent plant breeder sees benefits in the strengthening of plant breeders rights and how that will add dollars to the bottom line for farmers.
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