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32IEUROPEANSEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COMSPOTLIGHTPLANTUMIntellectualpropertyisalsovitaltooursectorbothinthehomemarketsandinternationally.Itisessentialtocontinuetoinvestininnovationwhichoursectordoesataratethatisunheardo.WeestimateanaverageinvestmentinRDatthelevelo15percentoturnover.Invegetablebreedingitmaybeover25percentinindividualcompaniessaysdeBeuze.Theseinvestmentsneedstobeprotected.PlantumisanoicialobserverintheCommunityPlantVarietyOfceandregularlysupportsISFinUPOVmeetingsonallissuesrelatedtoplantbreedersrights.TogetherwiththeDutchgovernmentwearenegotiatingwithChinatoimprovetheimplementationobreedersrightsdeBeuzesays.Thebalancebetweenpatentsandbreedersrightsandonagloballevelbetweenbreedersrightsandarmersrightsareveryimportantaswell.Howeveropinionsdierwithinthesector.TheDutchplantreproductivematerialsectorhasgainedaleadingstatusinternationallythroughitscontinuousinnovationeorts.BeuzeexplainsIn2013thegovernmentdecidedtoallocateanewbudgeto2.6millionorthemulti-annualco-fnancingo11researchprojectsorhorticultureandplantreproductionmaterials.Intotaltheco-inancingo39researchprojectshasbeengrantedunderthetopsectorsystem.PUBLIC-PRIVATEPARTNERSHIPSDespitethestaggeringinvestmentlevelsinRDcompaniesputahighvalueontheexistenceoastrongpublicresearchandeducationinrastructure.AlthoughcompaniesoperateataglobalscaleandcanshoporthebestknowledgegloballytheyconsideranaccessibleandexcellentknowledgebaseintheNetherlandsanimportantreasontocontinuetoinvestinthiscountrystatesThijsSimonsresponsibleWeneedarobustprogramwithaclearlong-termvisiononfundingandbasicrulesandregulations.ortheinnovationagendaatPlantum.DespitetheseedsectorbeingatopsectorinthepolicyotheDutchgovernmenttheknowledgeinrastructureissueringunderseriouspressure.Theocusonpublic-privatepartnershipshasstartedtodamagesupportorundamentalcuriosity-drivenresearchsaysSimons.Plantumseesinvestmentinundamentalresearchprimarilyasagovernmenttask.Weurthermoretrytostreamlinethethicketorulesorpublic-privateresearchconsortia.ThisisanimportanttaskotheoundationorpublicprivatepartnershipsPPPinresearchonplantreproductivematerialscalledTKIUthatPlantumchairs.Thiscreatesabaseortheknowledgechainandprovidesopportunitiestoeducatenewresearchworkers.InordertoparticipateinPPPcompaniesneedarobustprogramwithtransparentanduniormbasicrequirementsandalong-termcommitmenttoconvertknowledgeromundamentalresearchintomarketinnovations.Todaytherearetoomanydierentschemes.Theyaretoosmall-scaledoreachtopicandeachhasitsownbasicrequirements.Weneedarobustprogramwithaclearlong-termvisiononundingandbasicrulesandregulations.CompaniesmustbeabletouseoasingleschemeratherthanhavingtoexplorenewinstrumentsoverandoveragainsaysSimons.BarleyCarrotsNEWBREEDINGMETHODSTheNetherlandsisasmallcountry.Wedonthavethenecessaryareaorlarge-scaleagriculturesuchascornorwheat.InsteadweneedtogetthehighestreturnsoutoeverysquaremetresaysLouwaars.Thisisthebasisorourworldleadershipinhorticultureincludingseedsseedpotatoandgrassseeds.InordertocontinuetoservetheworldwithnewvarietiesthatincreaseyieldsupportsustainableproductionsystemsandthatoerproductqualityanddiversitybreedingandseedtechnologyhavetobesupportedexplainsSimons.ImportantortheutureoresearchandinnovationinbreedingisthataccesstonewbreedingmethodsismiredinoverlycomplexregulationsthatarelinkedtothecurrentapprovalsoGMOs.ThediscussionsaboutGMOsareongoingintheNetherlandsbutthereexistsabroadpoliticalsupportorcisgenesisasitscurrentuseismainlyinbreedingorresistancesincropsthatusealotocropprotectionchemicalssaysLouwaars.Unortunatelysomegroupsarenotinterestedindebatingbutsticktotheiroldprinciples.Plantumisalwayspreparedtodebatesuchcomplexissueswithpoliticiansministriesandcivilsociety.Tolearnmorevisittheassociationswebsitewww.plantum.nl.LabTesting