United Kingdom
June 9, 2015
Since the FAIR PLAY campaign on farm-saved seed (FSS) was launched 10
years ago, the contribution of FSS payments to plant breeders’ income has
more than doubled from around £4.5m in 2005 to £9.25m in 2014. According
to BSPB, the campaign plays a key role in safeguarding future innovation in
UK-based plant breeding.
A joint initiative between BSPB and the major UK farming unions (NFU, NFUS
and UFU), the FAIR PLAY campaign was established in 2005 to address
concerns that low levels of collection of FSS payments were draining vital
income away from investment in UK breeding programmes.
Speaking on the eve of the Cereals 2015 event, BSPB chairman Dr Richard
Summers marked 10 years of FAIR PLAY by reviewing key developments in
the campaign, and highlighting some of the breeding advances safeguarded
by the drive to reduce FSS evasion.
“The central objective of the FAIR PLAY campaign is to create a level playingfield
in which all farmers contribute fairly for the benefits of using farm-saved
seed. Since 2005, compliance levels have improved significantly, and FSS
collections now account for around a third of total breeding income,” said Dr
Summers.
“Communication has been central to the FAIR PLAY campaign, focused on
raising awareness of the benefits of continued investment in plant breeding,
while ensuring farmers are clear about their legal responsibilities on FSS use,
declaration and payment. BSPB has also taken steps to make the FSS
payment process more straightforward for farmers, and strengthened the FSS
collection system through additional staff resources, major investment in a
new farmer database better intelligence about seed and variety use,” he
explained.
Dr Summers highlighted the following breeding advances in combinable crops
which the FAIR PLAY campaign has helped safeguard over the past 10 years:
-‐ HOLL oilseed rape varieties now top-yielding
-‐ Development of no-GN spring malting barleys
-‐ First oilseed rape varieties with resistance to Turnip Yellow Virus
-‐ Semi-dwarf oilseed rape
-‐ Herbicide tolerant oilseed rape
-‐ Quality wheat yields now matching feed varieties
-‐ UK first to register modern CMS hybrid barley varieties
-‐ Dwarf husked and naked oats
-‐ High oil naked oats
-‐ Low vicine/covicine quality in spring beans
-‐ Improved standing ability in field peas
-‐ Better colour retention in large blue and marrowfat peas
-‐ Pale hilum winter bean yields now matching black hilum types
Speaking on behalf of the UK farming unions, NFU combinable crops
chairman Mike Hambly welcomed the progress made through FAIR PLAY in
protecting future breeding innovation:
“The FAIR PLAY campaign promotes a collaborative, industry-wide approach
to safeguarding future breeding innovation. Farmers need access to new
varieties for improved yields, quality and disease resistance, and to cope with
emerging challenges such as climate change and to help reduce resistance to
key crop protection tools. The farming unions fully support the campaign’s
objectives to ensure all farmers contribute fairly for the benefits of improved
varieties, bred for our markets and growing conditions.”
Dr Summers added: “Since 2005, FAIR PLAY has come a long way in
tackling the gap in FSS payments, and BSPB would like to say a big thank
you, not only to the farming unions for their support in delivering the
campaign, but also to the many thousands of farmers who recognise the
benefits of continued investment in improved varieties.”
“Despite improvements in FSS compliance levels across virtually all crops, it’s
important to emphasise the ongoing need for the FAIR PLAY campaign.
There is still work to do to deliver 100% compliance, with communication and enforcement activity now more intelligence-led and targeted on specific crops, regions and farmer types,” he said.
The British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) is the representative body for
the UK plant breeding industry. Acting on members’ behalf, BSPB licenses,
collects and distributes certified seed royalties and farm-saved seed
payments on agricultural and horticultural crops. The Society represents
members’ interests on technical, regulatory and intellectual property matters,
and works to promote continued innovation and investment in UK plant
breeding.
Topics
Species
