48   SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA  JULY 2026
GIANT VIEWS
can support breeder investment while 
also reflecting the realities producers 
face. 
We’ve had many successes, but there 
are still areas where progress has been 
slower. One ongoing challenge is the 
conversation around fair compensation 
for farm-saved seed. Farmers have long 
had the autonomy to save and reuse seed 
in crops like cereals and pulses, and that 
tradition matters. But at the same time, 
breeding new varieties requires signifi­
cant investment, time and expertise. If 
innovation is going to come from both 
public and private breeding programs, 
there has to be a system that fairly 
rewards that investment.
Historically, Canada has relied heavily 
on the public sector, and that system has 
delivered tremendous value. But public 
breeding programs haven’t had to operate 
under the same commercial realities as 
private investment. As private breeders 
increasingly look to contribute, there can 
be two different sets of expectations at 
play. 
I think part of the challenge is 
helping people understand that fair 
remuneration for innovation isn’t about 
taking something away from producers 
— it’s about creating long-term stability 
in plant breeding and ensuring Canada 
remains competitive globally.
These kinds of changes take time. 
Sometimes the journey spans a decade 
or more. My view is that our role is to 
continue providing clear information 
about the benefits, maintain open 
dialogue and allow sectors to make 
decisions in their own time.
What’s most important is that 
these decisions are thoughtful. Good 
consultation, good collaboration and 
deliberate discussion almost always 
lead to better outcomes than rushed 
decisions. That’s something we must 
respect. 
I WAS DEEPLY honoured to recently be put forward for the role 
of president of International Union for the Protection of New 
Varieties of Plants (UPOV). It’s been incredibly important 
to me throughout my career, especially as commissioner of 
Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights Office. 
UPOV is a global community I’ve been involved with for 
nearly 15 years, and when your peers from around the world 
place that kind of confidence in you, it’s truly humbling.
What makes UPOV remarkable is that it continues to meet 
the moment. At its core, it exists to promote effective plant 
variety protection for the benefit of society — not just breeders, 
but farmers, consumers and the broader public as well. That 
means supporting agricultural productivity, food security and 
innovation all at once. 
The foundation is strong, but what has always impressed me 
is how adaptable the organization is. Every time a new chal­
lenge or technology emerges, the community comes together to 
ensure the framework keeps pace.
Some people point out that the 1991 Convention is now 
more than three decades old, but the legal principles embedded 
within it remain sound. The real strength of the system is its 
ability to evolve through explanatory notes and collective inter­
pretation. A great example is the concept of Essentially Derived 
Varieties (EDVs). 
Originally, EDVs were developed to address issues like back­
crossing and genetic modification, where changes were being 
made to a single trait. Today, we live in a world of advanced 
gene editing where multiple traits can be altered simultaneously 
with profound implications. The UPOV community revisited 
the explanatory note on EDVs, modernized it and ensured 
it remained relevant for today’s technologies. That’s how the 
system works — not through constant reinvention, but through 
thoughtful adaptation.
I also believe we are seeing a meaningful shift in attitudes 
toward innovation, investment and competition in Canada. 
It’s not happening uniformly across every crop sector, and 
that’s OK. Different sectors move at different speeds. But we’ve 
already seen some remarkable success stories.
One example I often point to is the greenhouse vegetable 
sector. When Canada strengthened intellectual property protec­
tion and began accepting foreign data to establish Plant Breeders’ 
Rights, it was like opening the doors to innovation. Applications 
and new vegetable varieties surged. It gave producers access to 
cutting-edge genetics and more choice, while creating the kind 
of competitive environment that drives continued innovation.
What I appreciate about the UPOV framework is that it’s 
flexible enough to adapt to the needs of different sectors. It 
WHY PLANT BREEDERS’ RIGHTS MATTER 
MORE THAN EVER
By: Anthony Parker, 
UPOV President

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