E-Delivery

P U L S E C R O P N E W S F A L L 2 0 1 7 | 23 "I think this is the most exci ng me for the pulse industry," Bacon told the group. "I'm just finishing up my 20th year at Pulse Canada and I've never felt as much excitement about our industry as I do now. A lot has changed in the last 18 months, and a lot of it is because of Interna onal Year of Pulses. We were able to get worldwide a en on for a crop that a lot of you have grown for 25 years or more. Our job now is to turn that global a en on into long-term profitability." Anthony Parker, Commissioner of Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR) within the Canadian Food Inspec on Agency (CFIA), provided a perspec ve on where the current PBR stands regarding value crea on for the industry. "We are seeing a lot more varie es moving to development since UPOV'91," he noted. "We are also seeing diversity in the crop kinds seeking protec on. There seems to be a greater op mism in Canada for new varie es since we adopted a revised PBR law (UPOV'91)." Ron Pidskalny, Strategic Vision Consul ng Ltd., provided a summary of the various mechanisms that are being used across the globe in value crea on or value capture. While other groups are discussing different examples from various countries, APG wanted the focus to be on the mechanisms of value crea on and value capture to be er understand how it may affect a made in Canada solu on. In his discussion report for workshop par cipants, Pidskalny noted that value capture and value crea on are two unique concepts. Value capture systems rely on a combina on of trust, legal enforcement or technologies that make seed-saving impossible, such as the use of hybrid seed – and may occur through the redistribu on of value within the food and fibre produc on chain. In Canada, industries have four means of protec ng investments in technology: trade secrets, trademarks, contracts and patents. Two other means of protec on available to the seed sector include the Plant Breeders' Rights Act and the Seeds Act. Pidskalny noted that new cul vars may create value by lowering costs of produc on, lowering costs of delivery of grain products to consumers, or allowing the produc on of value- added grain products desired by consumers prepared to pay higher prices for these traits. This workshop was an ini al mee ng to raise the issue with the industry, and par cipants included co-chairs to the cereals value crea on working group, who have been tasked with leading their own delibera ons. "As an industry, we have to be ready to work collabora vely for the en re value chain," said APG Chair D'Arcy Hilgartner in his closing remarks. "We knew there wouldn't be any conclusions at this mee ng, but we needed to start the dialogue." APG con nues to encourage the value chain to discuss with other stakeholders in their own segments how they feel this should move forward. Educa on will be a significant component to the work. Grower groups like APG will con nue to prepare for the next opportuni es for value crea on for the industry. New germplasm lines are tested for powdery mildew resistance by pea breeder D.J. Bing with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe.

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