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48IEUROPEANSEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COMGIANTVIEWSFREEDOMDRIVESCREATIVITYBYGERARDBACKXheseedindustryhasareputationforproducinghigh-valueproducts.Seedsmentraveltheglobesellingtheseedstraitsandgeneticsproducedbyourindustry.Thefreedomofthisindustrydrivescreativityandinturnthatcreativityhasdeliveredhugevalueforthefoodandfeedindustriesaswellasfortheornamentalssector.Wecollectivelyhaveaskedourgovernmentstobemindfulofregulationsthatprotectourindustryandinrecentyearsthishasincludedlobbyingforchangesthatwillallowaccesstonewandimprovedgenetics.Fordecadeswehavelivedwiththerulesthatwerecreatedandthoserulesclearlyhavestimulatedourindustrybutnowtheyarelimitinginnovation.Societysviewschange.Ioftenwonderwhatreallyisthecausefortheseshiftstheserulechangeswhichmanifestthemselvesintheformofpubliccallsforlegislativechangefromourgovernmentsthatultimatelyhindertheseedindustry.IsitthesuccessofourseedbusinessesIsitbecausewetheseedindustryarenotreallyvisiblyattheconsumerlevelAreweperceivedtobemisbehavingourselvesIsitbecausewearenotunderstoodIsitbecausewedonotlistenenoughtoconsumersIsitbecauseweworkwithgeneticsIsittherelationshipwithchemicalsIsitbecauseweprotectgeneticsthroughpatentsAnywayyoulookatittheenvironmentinwhichweoperatehaschanged.Politiciansdonotmakeorchangelawsbecausetheyhaveaclearvisionofwhatisbestforsociety.Mostlawsaremadeorchangedbecauseavocalandactiveorsometimesmajoritysegmentofsocietyhasaskedforit.Theregulationswehavebeenworkingwithwillchangeandwehavetoworkhardtoensurethattherulesarenttobeturnedagainstourindustry.WehavediscussedforyearsthenewseedregulationsinEuropeaswellastheplanthealthandotherproposals.Westilldonotknowwhatthenewruleswillbeorwhatpoliticianswilldecidebutbasedonsocietyscurrentviewsaboutagricultureitislikelytheywillbelessthanfavourableforourindustry.Overtheyearsdiscussionshavebeenstartedonthetopicofbiodiversity.SpeakinghonestlyourindustryhaswaitedtoolongbeforetakingactionandIsometimeswonderwheretheseedindustrymightbetodayifwehadbeenmoreactive20yearsago.Butthatdidnthappenandtodaywefacethediscussionsonbiodiversityandalltheconsequencesofaccessandbenefitsharing.Non-orsemi-governmentorganisationswouldliketoforceustobehavecorrectlytowardlessdevelopedcountriesgoingsofarasgivingcompaniesarankingintheindustrybasedontheirtrackrecordconcerningaccesstoseedsforsmallfarmersindevelopingnations.Alltheseinfluencesanddemandsfromsocietyareunderstandable.Weshouldnotdismisstheattitudeofsociety.Wecanonlywonderwhysocietyhaschanged.Understandinghoweverthatthesesocietalchangesarethedrivingforcecompellingpoliticianstomakeneworchangeexistinglawslawsthatmightlimitourindustryscreativityandourfreedomforcreativity.Thoselimitationscanandoftendolimitourprogressinplantbreedingandgenetics.Geneticgaininwhateverformisrequiredtoincreasefoodproductionandtofeedthe7billionpeopleontheplanettodayandwillbeneededtofeedthe9bnpredictedtobealivein2050andthe11bnpredictedfortheyear2100.WhatcanwedotochangetheattitudeofsocietytowardsagricultureandtheseedindustryAttheveryleastweshouldnotfightagainsttheseattitudes.Weshouldstrivetounderstandthereasonsattherootoftheissueandfacilitateadialoguewithsocietyhelpingthemtounderstandwhyweneedtoavoidrestrictivelawsandregulations.Wemusttakestepstoprotectourfreedomitsthatfreedomthatallowsustodriveinnovationthroughcreativity.GerardBackxCEOHZPCHollandBVandpresidentoftheEuropeanSeedAssociationT