Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 7648 / SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2016 AT THE INTERNATIONAL Seed Federation’s 67th World Seed Congress, more than 1,100 delegates from 64 countries gathered to discuss global seed industry issues and put forth solutions. The meeting also serves as a time to reflect on the past, to recognize leaders for their commitment and vision, to elect new leaders and to celebrate successes. In welcoming delegates to the Congress, Alvaro Eyzaguirre, ISF president (2014-16) said when thinking of seed as a solution to food security, there has never been a more challenging time to be part of the industry. “Our purpose is stronger than ever, and there’s never been a better time to be a part of ISF,” he said, referencing ISF’s new vision and mission unveiled last year. ISF’s sections, committees and working groups are chan- neling their energy into meeting the goals set forth by the ISF strategic objectives. Some of their recent work is outlined below. Sustainable Agriculture Sub-Committee One area of focus for the Sustainable Agriculture Sub-Committee is the access and benefit sharing of genetic resources through the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Nagoya Protocol and the International Treaty of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISF is working to develop a user-friendly decision tree to pro- vide the right information to its members regarding their access to genetic resources. The easiest way for breeders to access mate- rial is under the scope of the International Treaty (included in the multilateral system), as a Standard Material Transfer Agreement is provided. However, the long-term functioning of the International Treaty is endangered because it hasn’t received much financial support. An ad-hoc working group was put in place three years ago to enhance the functioning of the multilateral system. As part of the open session of the Breeders Committee, there was a roundtable discussion about what the seed industry could expect from the International Treaty Working Group. Participants were reminded that conserving genetic resources and providing the means to do so is a common goal. As a major stakeholder, the seed industry should give its opinion and be part of the process to set the financial target. However, this is also the responsibility of end users, food processors and society as a whole. Plant Breeding and Innovation One of the top priorities for the global seed industry is to facilitate industry innovation. ISF recently drafted a concept paper on con- sistent criteria, and outreach is underway to achieve these criteria across countries for the scope of regulatory oversight for catego- ries of products developed through newer breeding methods. Furthermore, the group is working to develop a communica- tion toolkit, which will enable ISF members to promote the bene- fits of plant breeding innovation and to champion the consistency of criteria with clarity, consistency and confidence. As part of the toolkit, a list of frequently asked questions has been published on the “Resources” page of the ISF website, and talking points are being prepared. Prior to the congress, ISF started to strengthen dialogue and foster alliances throughout the agriculture value chain. That was demonstrated during a roundtable discussion at the congress where representatives from the public breeding, grain trade and fresh produce sectors were part of the panel “Consistent Policies for Plant Breeding Innovation.” At the International Seed Federation’s 2016 World Seed Congress, the industry prepares to advance its policies and positions. Here are the highlights. Jennifer Clowes and Julie Deering International Priorities Pick Up Steam PHOTOS: INTERNATIONAL SEED FEDERATION. The Breeders Committee hosted a roundtable discussion, focusing on gene editing and new plant breeding techniques.