b'April, a provisional version with only 230 articles was approved."Every time there is a discussion about seed laws or about However, during the specific discussions, and failing to obtain theUPOV, it is a discussion about conflicts of interest, rather than necessary approvals from Argentinas lower house lawmakers,about the benefits of taking part in a status such as UPOV 91 or the government decided to withdraw the UPOV 91 Article.OECD (.) At some point in Argentina, we will reconsider debat-Seed World LATAM sat down with three prominent leadersing a seed law, but we must keep in mind what an international of Argentina\'s seed sector to hear their insights into the processtreaty is. The possibility of adhering means having the status and the lessons learned. Their experiences and perspectivesof a country that receives investments that are protected, and offer valuable information on the debate surrounding Argentina\'sthat this results in innovation and greater economic growth, adherence to the UPOV 91 Act. and therefore, it will be understood that UPOV 91 is good for Argentina," he said.Nicols Gear: Committed to Intellectual PropertyNicols Gear is president of the Argentine Seed GrowersThe 10 Lessons Learned from the ProcessAssociation (ASA) and Manexa. In the conversation with Seed1. The Importance of Open and Participatory Debate: Gear World LATAM, Gear emphasized the importance of intellectualhighlighted the inclusion of all stakeholders in the debate. The property in seed production and its impact on developing newparticipation of all actors in the value chain was demanded for phyto-genetic varieties. He highlighted how this unlocks oppor- the proper institutionalization of the regulation. And this process tunities in international markets and promotes economic growthwas never intended to be unilateral or constrained. It explicitly through the development of agricultural biotechnology withinincluded producers and users in the regulation.Argentina. The big challenge behind the issue of intellectual2. The Regulation of Farm-Saved Seeds within the frame-property and adherence to UPOV 91, he said, is how to commu- work of Plant Variety Protection: Paseyro explained that nicate essential aspects such as essentially derived varieties andAlthough Argentina has a robust regulatory framework based farm-saved seeds. on UPOV 91, there is confusion due to ambiguous interpreta-Gear emphasized that "defending the rights of seed breeders\'tions of breeders rights and exceptions for the producers own innovation and the possibility of capturing profits for companiesuse. The current legislation needs adjustments to resolve these has been high on ASA\'s agenda in recent decades." discrepancies and ensure a clear regulation that benefits both breeders and producers, while respecting the cultural and eco-Lorena Basso: Uniting International and Localnomic characteristics of the agricultural sector.Perspectives 3.Cultural change towards the concept of royalties: In Lorena Basso, former chair of ASA\'s board of directors and cur- Argentina the high export taxes lead to an erroneous perception rent second vice president of the International Seed Federationthat royalties are another tax, which makes it difficult to adhere (ISF), brought a local and international perspective to theto UPOV 91.discussion. She emphasized the need to adapt to political andPaseyro stated, Saving and using self-produced seeds, private changes in the sector, stressing that future adherenceknown as farm-saved seed, is a deep-rooted cultural tradition. A to UPOV 91 would be positive for the Argentine seed industrycultural change is needed so that producers see the payment of and that international openness is crucial. The implications ofroyalties not as a tax but as a recognition of the innovative work the agreement must be understood to align local practices withbehind the seeds.global standards. According to Basso, If producers accepted to pay for their "Through genetics, you can have a high-quality product withfarm-saved seed, many issues would be solved. And although certain features that allow you to compete in prices or in high- other aspects are negotiated, the regularization of farm-saved value markets. It is a virtuous circle: when you have safer, moreseed is essential. It all boils down to an economic issue: someone transparent, and modern environments, it attracts investment,has to pay, and someone has to get paid.which directly ends up benefiting the producer." 4. Impact of the tax burden on producers: Paseyro pointed out that the high tax burden has an impact on the prices farm-Alfredo Paseyro: Communication and Knowledge ers earn. For soybeans, for every $100, the state keeps $33, Alfredo Paseyro, executive director of ASA and collabora- and the producer receives $67 after the seeds are sold and tor in several working groups of the ASA, ISF, and the Seedexported.Association of the Americas (SAA) highlighted one of the mostGear added that it becomes even more complex given the critical lessons learned from this process: the importance oflack of transparency in how these funds are used, generating dis-effective communication.satisfaction among producers. The money collected is not nec-For him, one of the biggest challenges in the discussionessarily reinvested in improvements for the agricultural sector, around the omnibus bill was communicating the technical andcausing frustration and a sense of lack of return on investment political aspects of UPOV 91, which was further complicated byamong farmers.being just one point among the other 660 in the omnibus bill,5. Clarity in Separating Concepts: For Basso, it is crucial to covering a wide range of subjects. separate discussions on taxes and export duties from issues of LATAMSEEDWORLD.COM /17'