THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT ALBERTA’S AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARDS REQUEST that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency abandon the proposal to implement the adoption of End Point Royalties (EPR’s) or farm saved seed “trailing royalty contracts”.
Response:
CANADA FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY
Thank you for sharing your letter of February 11, 2019, which includes the seed royalty resolution (Resolution E2-19: No Royalties on Farm Saved Seed), passed by the Agricultural Service Board. I appreciate you taking the time to write to me about this important matter.
As you may be aware, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency were asked by the Grains Value Chain Roundtable, a consultative body with broad representation from across the value chain, to launch public consultations on two proposed seed royalty models. The purpose of these proposed “value-creation” models are to stimulate greater investment and innovation in Canada’s cereal sector. The first phase of the consultative process was launched in late 2018 and is an initial step in what government views as a multi-stage discussion process.
The Government of Canada understands that many farmers place considerable value on their ability to save seed and often choose specific crop kinds and varieties that allow for replanting of saved seed in subsequent years. At the same time, a large number of agriculture sector stakeholders have signaled a desire for Canada to consider some form of value-creation model that would allow increased investment in wheat variety development by both public and private breeders across the country. Many producers see increased investment in research and breeding as key to ensuring the long term profitability and competitiveness of Canada’s cereals sector.
The government remains open to hearing all perspectives on this matter, and will consider the feedback heard to inform next steps in the consultative process.
Agricultural Service Boards 