Copa and Cogeca, the organisations representing the European Union's farm unions and co-operatives, warned against using patents in the EU agriculture sector at a seminar in Brussels by the CPVO (Crop Plant Variety Office) on the interface between patents and plant variety rights, saying it will result in less products and varieties and additional costs.
Speaking at the event, chairman of Copa-Cogeca Working Party on Seeds Thor Kofoed said that a patent system in the EU agriculture sector will not get better crop varieties adapted to local conditions and that Copa and Cogeca are very concerned by the increasing number of patents granted to plants.
He pointed to the recent decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) which recognise two patents: one from a British company for broccoli that contains a bitter anti-carcinogenic substance, and another from an Israeli company for "wrinkly" tomatoes that have a reduced water content.
Copa-Cogeca warns that the specific characteristics of these broccoli and tomato plants were not invented or artificially manufactured. They were present in the wild parent plants and are the result of crossing and selection processes. Copa-Cogeca is extremely worried that this decision extends the scope of the patent to all broccoli and tomato plants that have these characteristics.
This protection will mean that all companies that produce varieties with the same features will have to obtain a licence from the patent holder. This could jeopardise progress in breeding and decrease innovation and biodiversity, resulting in increasing consolidation in the seed industry.
Market round-up
United Auctions sold 125 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 324.8p per kg and an average of 236.8p (-2.9p on the week), while 164 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 351.5p and levelled at 234.5p (+11.6p). Thirty-three store, B&W bullocks sold to 186.3p and averaged 165.3p.
In the rough ring 96 cows averaged 140.3p.
The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart sold 16 prime heifers in Dumfries on Wednesday to a top of 237.5p and an average of 216.6p.
There were 60 OTM cattle presented in the rough ring when beef cows averaged 136.1p and dairy cows levelled at 108.3p.
The firm also sold 461 prime lambs to a top of £82 per head and 178p per kg to average 154.5p (-28.5p).
The 259 cast sheep forward saw heavy ewes sell to £95.50 for Texels, while light ewes peaked at £68.50 for Blackfaces.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article