“Save Our Seeds”: NFU announces key priority to raise awareness of restrictive plant breeder rights
Posted: January 8, 2014
Categories: Food in the News / News from Sustain Members
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has announced that one of the group’s key priorities in the coming months will be raising the profile of plant breeder rights as they relate to Bill C-18. As part of these efforts, the NFU will releasing action kits that will include policy analysis, proposed alternatives, presentation material, community engagement tools. and other resources. Visit the “Save Our Seed” campaign page on the NFU website for more details.
From the National Farmers Union (NFU):
On December 9, 2013 the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-18, An Act to amend certain Acts relating to agriculture and agri-food, also called the Agricultural Growth Act. Through this omnibus agriculture bill our government intends to hand more power and control to transnational agri-business corporations by amending several acts. Bill C-18 will facilitate the move from the current UPOV ’78 (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) to the more restrictive UPOV ’91 plant breeders’ rights regime. This change will further restrict the ability of farmers to save, reuse, exchange and sell seed. We are continuing to analyze Bill C-18.
Raising awareness and taking action to stop Bill C-18 will be a key priority of the NFU’s work over the next several months. The national board and national staff are preparing action kits with a concise analysis of Bill C-18, an outline and description of a Farmers’ Seed Act, a powerpoint presentation, a sample agenda for public meetings and other resources. These kits will be available by January 15 for you to use in your work to keep control of our seeds and our food in our hands. They will have information on the broader implications of Bill C-18, beyond the amendments to the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act.
Actions you can take now to help stop the move to UPOV ’91:
- check out the Save Our Seed page of the NFU website – www.nfu.ca/issues/save-our-
seed. - download our petition – “The Right to Save Seeds” available at http://tinyurl.com/ksonqde.
- collect signatures on the petition, leave copies with supportive businesses and allies so that they can collect signatures for you;
- contact your MP and arrange a meeting before January 28, when the House resumes sitting. Submit copies of the petition to your MP either at a meeting or through their office prior to January 28. If you have 25 or more signatures ask your MP to read your petition in the House;
- start organizing public meetings for January and February along with meetings with local allies and organizations interested in food and agricultural issues;
- share the petition, NFU press releases and other NFU material through facebook, twitter and your social media contacts;
- write letters to the editor of your local papers. The NFU website has a lot of information on UPOV ’91 and its implications for farmers – www.nfu.ca/issues/save-our-
seed - make a donation to the NFU Campaign to stop Bill C-18.
Those who control seeds, control the food we eat. Our campaign to promote a Farmers’ Seed Act and Food Sovereignty will provide NFU members and locals with a focus around which we can build membership, create alliances and increase publicity over the coming months.
For more information on what is already being organized in your region, contact your regional coordinator [Ed: NFU-Ontario coordinator is John Sutherland, reachable at coordinator@nfuontario.ca ]. For more information contact the national office at nfu@nfu.ca or 1-306-652-9465.