As plant breeders step up efforts to prevent abuse of their intellectual property through farm-saved seed evasion, BSPB is reminding all those offering professional advice to farmers of the key points in law on farm-seed.
A handy list of farm-saved seed rules in a weather-proof, credit-card sized format is being issued to more than 4,000 agronomists, accountants, farm secretaries and business advisers, to ensure the significance of farm-saved seed use as a potential source of financial and legal liability is fully understood.
Key points set out on the card are:
- farmers are legally obliged to declare their use of farm-saved seed, and to pay for the use of eligible varieties;
- farm-saved seed must be produced and saved within a farmer's own business (ie land farmed as the same business). Harvested grain purchased or otherwise imported from another business cannot be used as farm-saved seed.
- farm-saved seed rules apply whether seed has been processed or taken straight from the barn;
- although some older varieties are 'zero-rated' for payment, farmers must still declare their use as farm-saved seed to BSPB.
Announcing this next phase in the FAIR PLAY campaign, BSPB chairman Chris Green said:
'Evasion of payments on farm-saved seed is draining vital income away from investment in UK-based plant breeding. The FAIR PLAY campaign is a targeted programme of action, supported by the farming unions, to ensure all farmers using farm-saved seed are clear about their legal obligations, and to crack down on continuing evasion.
'In the context of this new regime, it is vital not only that farmers understand the rules on farm-saved seed, but also that any professional advice provided to farmers is based on a proper understanding of the legal position. We hope the reference cards going out to advisers will serve as a handy reminder of the key points to bear in mind to ensure farmers stay on the right side of the law.'
