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JUNE 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 13 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K SeedWorld_Pinnacle.pdf 1 3315 1038 AM nology will be maintained after patent expiration. The patent holder may bear the cost itself partner with others to share those costs or discontinue its regulatory responsibility. Maintaining those approvals which can cost millions of dol- lars means that international markets such as China and the European Union would still be open for those selling soybeans produced from seed with the trait. For Monsantos now-expired Roundup Ready trait soybeans the company elected to maintain regulatory approvals until 2021. We wanted to ensure U.S. soybean growers have trade opportunities for the products theyre growing says Norm Sissons U.S. soybean product management lead for Monsanto. Its about being good stewards of the technology. If we want growers to adopt our technol- ogy we have to show were good stewards of that technology. Sissons and the company have not said whether Monsanto would continue upkeep of regu- latory approvals after that time but Monsanto has stopped using the technology in its research and development and has moved on to new traits that are said to produce more protection and better yields. DUCA is similar to GEMAA except that it allows for com- pensation to trait providers for access to proprietary regulatory property at the time of patent expiration. To date DUCA has not had enough signatories to go into effect. New Products With the AgAccord clearing up much of the uncertainty around biotech traits coming off patent the big question has been about whether there will be a market for so-called generic seeds. Already universities and breeders are making use of the first-generation Roundup Ready trait and testing the market. This has always been the big question will there be demand OMara says. Were just beginning to see that there is some. Back in December the University of Arkansas released UA 5414RR a public generic soybean variety using the first generation Roundup Ready trait. University soybean breeder Pengyin Chen says the first batch of seed about 1800 to 2000 units is already gone. It was sold very quickly once the word went out Chen shares. Chens variety comes without the technology fees associated with patented seeds. Additionally growers can save the seeds obtained from their harvest to plant in later seasons which is not permitted when planting patented seeds. But Chen says Arkansas soybean seed yields about 7 percent less than newer generations of Roundup Ready soybeans. Its not going to take a lot of market share because it doesnt yield as well Chen says. But he cant argue with how quickly the first batch of seed sold. Some farmers like the idea that they dont have to pay more for Roundup Ready technology generation two Chen says. Whatever the market demands is what we should provide. That yield drag is the reason leaders at Monsanto believe most breeders will be ready to move on from the first-genera- tion technology. Typically you dont see companies working with old tech- nology Sissons explains. Theyre looking to bring new tech- nology with new benefits to growers. It would be kind of like saying I have an iPhone 3 and do I want to develop under that Its about being good stewards of the technology. If we want growers to adopt our technology we have to show were good stewards of that technology. Norm Sissons