14 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2018 opers, in this case seed developers, for the use of their intellectual property (i.e. specific plant varieties). Ellis, a fourth-generation farmer and independent seed grower, says he supports a royalty collection system that increases investment in cereal breeding. He also believes it’s important seed developers are compensated for the varieties they create, and he stresses farmers have a choice when it comes to which varieties they plant on their farms. “There’s still varieties outside UPOV 91, and they’re quite good. Farmers can still plant Brandon wheat, which is a top variety right now. They can keep growing [those varieties] until they see that there’s a variety under UPOV 91 that will give them huge returns on their farms, and they’ll start growing [that variety] because it makes sense for their farms,” says Ellis. The other value creation model put forward by the working group is a royalty collection system enabled by contracts. In this case, breeders, or their representa- tives, would use contracts when selling certified seed of varieties registered after Feb. 27, 2015. This system would either restrict the use of farm-saved seed or collect royal- ties on the farm-saved seed used (i.e. trailing royalties). Team Canada The upcoming formal consultation process on value crea- tion in cereals, which will gather all stakeholder opinions, is the next important step, says Armstrong. “We, and I mean the whole system, need some means of evaluation, to come up with a recommendation that, at least, most could live with. Any recommendation would need to ensure the whole value chain benefits,” she says. Gray says more producer input is needed, as they will likely have the most sway over the federal government when it comes to legislative changes. “There needs to be a push from producers to say they actually want a system that they think is equitable and will accomplish their goals of getting better varieties out there,” he says. Although they may be far from consensus on a value capture model for the cereals sector, on one point all can agree: industry stakeholders need to work together. “Ultimately, it comes down to making sure the industry is going to be strong, and that we’re working as a team. The farmers are the foundation — they grow everything. But we need the breeders supporting the farmers, and we need to make sure the breeding programs stay vibrant, and we need our grain buyers to have access to high- quality product, so they must work with the breeders to tell them what they need,” says Ellis. “We’re all a team. We must ensure, as a team, that Canadian agriculture stays strong, vibrant, and competi- tive in the world marketplace,” he says. For a longer and more comprehensive version of this story visit http://ow.ly/RAy230kgdT7. DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID Scan the code with your mobile device to download our app! Scan the code with your mobile device to download our app! Features: Easy click or swipe menu navigation iOS and Android mobile and tablet versions Current stories at a glance Enlarged text for easy reading ü ü ü ü DOWNLOAD THE GERMINATION MOBILE APP FOR FREE! Stay connected and engaged with all the latest news trending in the Canadian seed industry.