There are still lingering questions as to how farmers access, pay for and use seed varieties under UPOV ’91, which Canada adopted with the passing of Bill C-18 back in March of this year. For those that claim that under the act farmers lose their right to save seed, Patty Townsend, executive director of the… Read More
Tag: Patty Townsend
Crosby Devitt will join the Canadian Seed Trade Association as its new executive director, effective July 27, 2015. Devitt is currently vice president, strategic development for the Grain Farmers of Ontario, where he leads and manages the communications, research and market development departments of the organization. The CSTA says that Devitt was also instrumental in… Read More
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has announced the government’s commitment to “streamline and modernize” the way crop varieties are registered in Canada. These proposed changes will now enter into a consultation period ahead of the actual regulatory changes being drafted. Most major field crops grown in Canada are subject to Variety Registration, such as wheat, canola,… Read More
Canada’s rules and regulations regarding plant breeder’s rights adhere to a convention that’s over 35 years old, even though there is a more modern, widely accepted convention that’s a mere 23 years old — UPOV ’91. Bill C-18, currently in the parliamentary process, will bring Canada in line with UPOV ’91, a move that has… Read More
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has been throwing stones at Federal Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz this week about the EU / Canada Free Trade Agreement that should be finalized by the end of the year. In a recent Better Farming story, NFU President Terry Boehm is quoted as saying……. These measures are so draconian that… Read More