Alexandria, Virdinia, USA
September 9, 2009

Source: Newsletter of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Vol 9 Issue 18 

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), in partnership with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the USDA Plant Variety Protection Office, developed a short course on intellectual property rights (IPR) that was attended by three separate government delegations from India and China. The program was made possible through contributions of ASTA members as well as funding through USDA's Foreign Market Development and Emerging Markets Programs.

The three-day short course provided in-depth information relevant to government officials on the design, implementation and enforcement of a legal framework addressing the intellectual property protection of plants. The course was developed to offer practical insight into the system in the U.S., supported by ASTA member visits coupled with the course, as well as other models recognized internationally.

"This has been a unique opportunity for officials from both China and India to better understand the plant IPR system in the U.S. and to see it in action in the field," said ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne. India and China represent two very important emerging markets for the U.S. seed industry and rare two of ASTA's priorities for international programming. The Plant IPR Short Course and field site visits allowed for a great deal of interaction with the U.S. officials responsible for plant IPR protection and with our member companies. I would like to thank all of the participants in these programs for their work and enthusiasm for making them such as success."

The delegation from India, whose representatives were from the Ministry of Agriculture, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, participated in the course from Aug. 31- Sept. 2. Prior to the workshop, the delegation visited various ASTA members to see Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) Testing and plant variety protection trials first hand.

The two Chinese delegations included a USDA Cochran Team from the Ministry of Agriculture and officials from the Jilin Provincial Agriculture Commission. These delegations attended the short course in Alexandria, Va., from Aug. 26-28, and concluded their visit with additional U.S. stops to meet with ASTA members.

AgReliant Genetics, Cappel Seeds, Delta & Pineland Co., Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc., Monsanto Company, Pioneer-Hi-bred, a DuPont business, Seminis, Inc., Syngenta Seeds Inc., and University of California-Davis' Seed Biotechnology Center hosted the team visits. The Chinese delegations also participated in the Farm Progress Show held in Decatur, Ill. Several representatives from ASTA staff were involved with the success of the short course and visits, including LaVigne, Vice President of Science and International Affairs Bernice Slutsky, Vice President of Government Affairs Leslie Cahill and Director of International Programs Lisa Nichols.

"This short course and supporting visits are a critical piece in moving forward the necessary legal frameworks to develop the seed industry within these countries, to encourage continued and further investment in innovation and to bring new seed varieties and technologies to farmers as a result," remarked Nichols. "These intense and focused courses go a long way not only in driving policies in the right direction, but also in developing key relationships for our member companies that go far beyond the week spent here in the U.S."

Website: http://www.amseed.org

Published: September 9, 2009