Brussels, Belgium
June 6, 2011

On a ceremonial meeting during the ISF World Seed Congress in Belfast on 31st of May, three prominent seed coating and seed technology companies, Elsoms Seeds, INCOTEC and SUET signed a cooperative agreement with the Anti-Infringement Bureau on Intellectual Property Rights of Plant Material (AIB), the bureau for the prevention and approach of illegal increase of protected seed varieties. The arrangement allows the introduction of a protocol, which will prevent illegal seed, or protected varieties being offered for processing.

Casper van Kempen, AIB managing director, was quite happy with the development. "This arrangement gives AIB an extra possibility to investigate whether illegally produced seed is offered to the seed-coating and seed technology companies for processing."

From left to right: C.van Kempen (AIB), J.W.Breukink (INCOTEC), A. Keeling (Elsoms), J.Dau (Suet)

Also Jan Willem Breukink, INCOTEC's CEO, was happy with the arrangement. "We are happy with this initiative, as in this way we can provide a contribution to the prevention of the illegal production of vegetable varieties, which are protected by our clients. By the establishment of the protocol we show that we accept our responsibility as a trustworthy seed technology company, which thinks and acts in the interests of its clients. We want to keep our sector healthy and we are convinced that this is also in the interest of the vegetable growers."

Dr. Jörn Dau of SUET added: "SUET support this initiative wholeheartedly. It underlines our company philosophy to process only seed of which the origin is fully known." The new protocol will be operative with effect from 1 September 2011. The vegetable seed sector with an estimated annual turnover of 2,8 billion euro, invest a great deal of money in research and innovation to supply high value products to the food chain. The AIB was started in 2008 by the vegetable seed sector in order to prevent and tackle the illegal increase of protected varieties.

For more information about the AIB and its activities, see the website www.aib-seeds.com.

Website: http://www.seedquest.com/id/i/Incotec.htm

Published: June 6, 2011