Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
April 25, 2014

The Alberta Wheat Commission is joining forces with Partners in Innovation, a coalition of farmer, industry and value chain organizations, bringing the active coalition’s partnership total to 15.

“The Alberta Wheat Commission supports the modernization of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) legislation in Canada and the need for urgent ratification of UPOV 91,” says Kent Erickson, Chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. “Bill C-18 and the amendments to the PBR will encourage more investment in domestic plant breeding research and provide Canadian producers with access to continually improved varieties that will meet global demand.”

Partners in Innovation supports Bill C-18 and the group is eager to see the legislation move forward in the Parliamentary process. The PBR amendments within Bill C-18 are needed to bring Canada onto a level playing field with other countries, to facilitate trade, and to help farmers access new varieties developed both in Canada and outside our borders. Canada is one of only two developed country members which have not ratified the Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV 91), an international agreement, currently putting Canadian plant breeders and farmers at a competitive disadvantage. Expanded seed variety protection for plant breeders is expected to further investment in seed research and innovation.

According to the United Nations, by the year 2050 farmers around the world will have to almost double food production in order to feed a population that is expected to reach over 9 billion. In order to feed a hungry world farmers need access to crop varieties that will give higher yields, and will help them combat disease and pests, making better use of agricultural inputs.

The Alberta Wheat Commission is a producer-led organization that represents the interests of and serves as the single voice for all of Alberta’s 11,000 wheat producers.

Partners in Innovation is a group of leading Canadian farmer, industry and value chain agricultural organizations. Working together, the coalition supports updated seed variety protection for plant breeders, helping Canadian farmers and our agricultural industry become more competive in the global market.

Published: April 25, 2014