b'working well, because there are not soinnovation for the American many litigations, de Roos says. Is it clear,Seed Trade Association and or is it so unclear that people wont startchair of the ISF Working to litigate?Group on Plant Breeding In the last meeting of UPOV mem- Innovation, believes its bers, ISF explained the fact that there isimportant to have as little litigation is not showing the failuremuch knowledge as but in contrary the success of the EDV- possible around the principle, De Roos says. However, UPOVidea of PBI.will only start working on the amendmentWere seeing of this note if they have more backgroundcountries and regions regarding the practices and problems ofmove forward and breeders. develop their policies, This is where ISF has stepped in. she says. These areISF and a few different organizationsfocused on determin-like Croplife, CIOPORA and Euroseedsing the criteria on what made a survey and sent it out to compa- they will use to determine nies to get more background informationwhether particular prod-from companies on the subject of EDVs,ucts will fall inside or out-De Roos says. We have received manyside particular biotech/GMO reactions from breeders in different cropsregulations.and from different geographical regions.According to Slutsky, currently Based on the answers a submission hascountries in South America have been been made to UPOV recently. This showsthe leader in developing their policies and a rather united view among the breedersworking on harmonizing them.Bernice Slutsky serves as senior vice community. Most of them are satisfiedCountries in South America use thepresident of innovation for the American with the EDV-provision and many breed- criteria of novel genetic combinationSeed Trade Association as well as chair of ers act accordingly in their own breedingto determine which products fall underthe ISF Working Group on Plant Breeding practices. Nonetheless, more clarificationtheir GMO regulations, Slutsky says asInnovation. is asked for especially regarding this so- an example of how they work to decide called Australian approach. what will be treated as a GMO or what At their last meeting in October 2019,will not. If you use gene editing to make UPOV members adopted a resolution toa targeted deletion, for example, that open the Explanatory Note. Followingapplication would not meet the criteria of the submission on breeders practices,making a novel genetic combination, and UPOV should adopt Terms of Referencetherefore, that product would fall outside in October 2020 to act the creation ofthe GMO regulations.a new working group drafting the newTherefore, South America makes Explanatory Note. The seed sector hopesdeterminations on a case-by-case basis. to get a seat as observer to activelyOne of the trends weve seen is ifI saw potential in bringing together participate in clarifying these complex butyoure working within the parameters thatthe best minds in communication needed concept. plant breeders have always worked in, those products wouldnt be subject to afrom the seed sector and harnessing Educating on Plant Breedingpremarket approval process that biotechefforts to create a better impact. Innovation or GMOs would have to go through, she One of the other major aspects of ISFssays. Theres also some big unknowns. Francine Sayocwork surrounds plant breeding innova- The EU Court of Justice decision was a tion (PBI), and more specifically, gettingbig step backwards, and we still dont the word out about why PBI is so impor- know where China is going to fall either.tant, and why its necessary to make agri- Because of that, communication is culture more sustainable for the future.more important than ever. Especially in a time where so manyWeve had an ongoing communica-countries are developing new regulations,tion with the International Grain Trade Bernice Slutsky, senior vice president ofCoalition (IGTC), and weve developed 28/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2020'