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Current state of EU legislation on crop breeding (from @methylcytosine on X) (lemmy.ml)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] -2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Ah, I thought this one was pretty obvious, but let me add point 3

3: every single modern cultivar sold the past half century has had intellectual property agreement attached to it. You're not allowed to save modern non-gmo seeds either.

[–] Cort 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Them:

A big problem is that farmers are not allowed to use the corn and and grain which they grew themselves on their own field as seeds.

You:

There is so much wrong with this claim . . . intellectual property agreement attached to it. You're not allowed to save modern non-gmo seeds

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Them, replying to a post about GMO-seeds: "you're not allowed to save these seeds"

Me: "That's not a GMO thing, you're not allowed to save any seeds".

Also, I don't think that's a good thing at all. Most IP law is detrimental.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

it was not obvious to me. I am still in doubt thought.

is there a source?

(I am especially sceptical about the quanifiers. "every sjngle,,," is a very strong statement. "You’re not allowed to save modern non-gmo seeds either." implies, that there are no non-gmo seeds, that the farmer could sell, which is also a strong statement)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Source down there.

"You’re not allowed to save modern non-gmo seeds either." implies, that there are no non-gmo seeds, that the farmer could sell, which is also a strong statement

No, there definitely are, but most aren't modern. You're allowed to do whatever you want with seeds that aren't covered under IP laws, like heirloom seeds. The problem is that those (by definition) aren't the latest and greatest, so their yields will be lower, they'll be less hardy, etc.

I'm sure there will also be open varieties, but the problem is still that seed saving is difficult and costly, so most farmers will buy seeds. And the people selling those seeds get less money from selling the old seeds. And that's bad, but not a GMO-only thing.

Here's a great guide as to why the whole situation is rather shit (imho, and in their less-humble opinion too): https://seedalliance.org/publications/a-guide-to-seed-intellectual-property-rights/