SEPTEMBER 2018 GERMINATION.CA 37 ing seed company’s total global sales of crops under the treaty, minus 30 per cent. The subscriber would not pay on the quantity of germplasm access or on the sales of products derived from accessed germplasm. A subscription-based model would provide certainty and predictability regarding financial income through the benefit sharing fund. However, it is the position of ISF that only having a subscription-based system would not meet the needs or be beneficial to all participating parties. As such between the Sixth Session and the Seventh Session, ISF’s Gouache spent a significant amount of time working on this issue, and led the signing of a first-ever declaration of commit- ment from seed companies, stating that they would be willing to participate and at what level, committing real dollar figures. Because of ISF’s contributions and interest in making the ITPGRFA work, Gouache was invited to speak as part of the opening ceremony for the Governing Body’s Seventh Session in Kigali, Rwanda. When Gouache showed up to the Seventh Session of the Governing Body in November of 2017, he had 41 signatories to the declaration. As he stood before the Governing Body, he said: “I stand before you today as ISF president, and as the repre- sentative of a group of companies. We are ready to make a significant commitment to enhance the benefit sharing provisions of the MLS. “The seed sector has always recognized the impor- tance of plant genetic resources: the role they play in plant breeding, and the contribution they make to sustainable agriculture and food security. In fact, providing access to all plant breeders has always been a priority we share. “Before us lies a great opportunity to work together to enhance the functioning of the MLS. We must build now a multi-access benefit sharing system that makes sound business sense, and meets several legal and economic conditions. “These conditions need to be taken into account to build a SMTA that seed companies are willing to sign — one that respects their standard business practices. I’m talking about a system that serves the many, not the few.” Despite his remarks and the declaration, no further decision was taken by the Governing Body to aid the benefit sharing portion of the treaty, and very little pro- gress was made. “If the Governing Body had approved a Standard Material Transfer Agreement with good business criteria and at an economic rate, those 41 companies would have been ready to serve,” Gouache says. “For many politi- cal reasons, it seems some delegates want to tackle new topics, instead of what’s already on the table.” These talks will start again in another two years. “The solution to many of our challenges lies in the diversity of genetics,” Gouache says. “We need to get as many genetic resources into the hands of as many breeders around the world as we can. They need to be used and circulated. This is how we will be able to provide solutions to the challenges that are before us.” 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.