Canada's National Farmers Union Launch Campaign Against UPOV 1991

by APBREBES

In December 2013, Canada’s Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz, introduced an agriculture bill in Parliament called the "Agricultural Growth Act" (Bill C-18). One of the main aims being to bring the Canadian Plant Breeders Rights Act in conformity with UPOV 1991 to enable Canada to ratify UPOV 1991. The National Farmers Union (NFU) has launched a campaign against Bill C-18 stating that "If passed, it will give multi-national agri-business much more money, power and control while increasing farmers’ costs and reducing farmers’ autonomy and Canadian sovereignty." It has published a "Stop Bill C-18 Toolkit" and a new Seed Act for Farmers in which Canada recognizes the inherent rights of farmers—derived from thousands of years of custom and tradition—to save, reuse, select, exchange, and sell seeds.

For material on the Stop Bill C-18 see http://www.nfu.ca/issues/save-our-seed

See also "National Farmers Union drafts seed act" at http://www.newstalk650.com/story/national-farmers-union-draft-act/228752Â