Seed men from Australia
The Australian Seed Producers! Association and the national executive of the agriculture section of Federated Farmers met in Christchurch this week.
The Australian group decided to meet in New Zealand so that any matters of common interest to the two countries, could be discussed, the chairman of the Australian association. (Mr J. F. Sewell) said.. It was the first time the association had. met in New Zealand but it could easily become a regular event, he said. It was hoped that the agriculture section executive would reciprocate and meet in Australia from time to time.
New Zealand and Australian small seed growers should not be adopting a competitive attitude towards each other, Mr Sewell said, for, in fact, seed growers in each country were satisfying the , demands of entirely different customers. New Zealand seed usually went to Europe but seed produced in the drier Australian climate went to countries with low rainfalls. “We may grow similar types of seed but the varieties are different,” Mr Sewell said. Plant breeders’ . rights were of particular interest - to the Australians.Mr Sewell said no system of rights .operated in Australia at present but legislation was being discussed and would be .implemented soon. This would place Australia in line with most other countries, he said. . • - ’ " At present there was a lot of opposition- to the system of plant -breeders’ rights in Australia. Environmentalists and ecologists were claiming that the
system gives a tremendous amount of power to multinational companies — especially those that had business connections in Third World countries which were developing an agricultural system. “This is a surprisingly contentious issue at home,” Mr Sewell said. As well as discussing matters of common interest with their New Zealand counterparts, the Australian group has had a programme including talks by experts of the. Ministry of Agriculture and Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, visits to farms in North and Mid-Canterbury and an official dinners
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Press, 26 September 1980, Page 14
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322Seed men from Australia Press, 26 September 1980, Page 14
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