Sowing seeds for clear regulation across Europe

There are 42,000 seed varieties currently registered for marketing in the EU and 3,500 new varieties are added to this list every year,

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The current seed marketing legislation has provided the basis for breeders to invest in research and serve the interests of 12 million professional farmers in the EU.

I have been in contact recently with the European Seed Association, which drew my attention to the diversity found in the large numbers of SMEs that form the major part of the plant breeding and seed production sector.

Seed is one of the most important farming inputs and makes a major contribution to sustainability and competitiveness of this vital sector.

Our growers need to be able to access the highest quality seed of the best plant varieties and safeguard the leading international position of Europe's plant breeders and seed producers.

European plant breeders invest up to 20 per cent of their annual turnover in further research and development.

Investment has helped improve disease and pest resistance as well as enhanced yields.

Greater harmonisation will help to further streamline, simplify and modernise the legislation and reinforce the European common market for seed, so we need to back the ESA in their bid to support the farming community.

The ESA also told me that they are pushing to ensure EU legislation establishes a simplified, forward-looking and harmonised European Union law that fosters a common market for seed and a level playing field for all operators.

This should include variety registration, quality requirements and traceability for seed, including through official certification.

In addition we need a regulatory framework that supports high levels of innovation in plant breeding and continues to encourage the development of ever new plant varieties that meet the future requirements of professional farmers and growers.

* Heather Briggs is the former manager of an agricultural growers co-op who now works in the agri-PR sector