b'Every day is different. I get out of bed in the morningsometimes do that inkblot test where you look at the inkblot happy in the knowledge that I am off to work with myand tell them what it looks like to you. I want to do something fantastic team at BSPB and that we are supporting ansimilar but with a word: Brexit. As a British plant breeder, how industry which is genuinely making a positive differencedoes it make you feel to hear that word and why?in the world.PM: My Brexit inkblot is a black nebulous cloud rolling in G: What does the BSPB look like today? Can you give us afrom the horizon towards me. Every so often it recedes a snapshot of that? little, but inexorably it is coming and at some point, it is PM: The BSPB looks good today. We are in our 53rd year,going to hit me as a reality. On a personal level, I feel sad we have 72 members, which is more than we have everabout Brexit, I feel sad that the UK has chosen to leave the had before, and thats at a time when the industry isEuropean Union. I voted to remain and when Im working consolidating, so I am quite proud of that. Our servicesin ISF and ESA with my colleagues from other EU coun-to members are excellent. An ISF study showed that ourtries, it makes me genuinely sad that, although we will still combined royalty and farm-saved seed collection systemwork together, it will never be quite the same.is one of the best in the world and has helped to put theOn a professional level, it makes me frustrated and UK close to the top of the list globally as one of the bestangry, not so much that we are leaving the EU, as that countries to do plant breeding business.is what the majority of the UK people voted for, but that Of course, we dont want to stand still. All the time weour UK politicians have spent the past three years play-are thinking strategically and looking to the future. Theing party politics and looking for individual and personal industry is evolving, and we want to make sure that wegain, rather than getting on and working together in the are offering our members top-quality services that willnational interest to achieve an orderly exit that will be support them for years to come.good for the country and good for business. G: I want to talk about a big issue that is on everyones mind.G: Are your members prepared for Brexit and whats your big-Do a little psychological exercise with you. Psychologistsgest concern and your biggest worry about that?NOVEMBER 2019GERMINATION.CA 47'