June 2011

There was never a better time to be in Belfast for around 1250 delegates, exhibitors and guests from 61 countries who participated in the ISF World Seed Congress in 2011. With the release of an influential report by the Government Office for Science in London the seed industry was in the spotlight, as genetic gain and productivity were recognized to be at the heart of a strategy to address the challenges of global food security and climate change. The Congress in Belfast provided an excellent venue for seedsmen and seedswomen to converse, learn, network and do deals.

At the opening ceremony Truels Damsgaard, President of ISF spoke of growing food shortages around the world and of ISF’s mission: to be the voice for the seed industry and act as an intelligence network for the profession. In his keynote address Chris Leaver, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford pointed to the challenges facing the seed industry and how it could meet them.

The technical meetings during the Congress were an opportunity for the industry to promote and share best practices; they acted as a forum for debate. The first edition of the ISF rules for trading seed internationally entered into force in 1929. Regular updates are undertaken to keep them relevant to the needs of the seed industry, and at the meeting of the Trade and Arbitration Rules Committee delegates were informed of the revisions currently being undertaken. The Vegetable and Ornamental Crop Section Meeting saw a report on activities, many of which were undertaken in a spirit of collaboration as problems with moving seed were not limited to a few companies or countries and affected all members of ISF.

As pastoral farming and arable crops such as wheat and barley are key to UK agriculture, the Forage and Turf, and Field Crop Section Meetings featured numerous UK-specific presentations such as variety testing and registration of forage and turf crops, the market for cereal and forage crops and the management of intellectual property. A study made by a working group in ISF of royalty collection in wheat had shown that the UK scored very highly on the Remuneration Index, a measure of the efficacy of the royalty collection system in place that took into account the quantity of certified and farm-saved seed; the efficiency and cost of royalty collection. Delegates were given an insight into how royalty collection was organized in the country.

Given ISF’s function as champions for the seed trade, delegates were informed of developments in the international arena – the Nagoya Protocol, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the International Plant Protection Convention – that had a potential impact on the seed industry, and where ISF had contributed to shaping them.

The Trading Floor was abuzz with activity in the historic St George’s Market, an attestation to the importance of seed in international trade. Fun and games found their usual place before and during the Congress. Driving rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the golfers at the 18-hole Hilton Templepatrick course. The welcome party and gala dinner gave every one, including the 140 accompanying persons, reason to let down his/her hair and to cultivate the spirit of fellowship that is the hallmark of every successful institution.

The next Congress will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May 2012.
 

Website: http://www.worldseed.org

Published: June 20, 2011