Does the company expect wheat farmers will still be allowed to save their seed, or will they now be required to purchase new seed each season?
We do not expect our investment will change any of the approaches currently in place across the wheat seed industry. Today, a number of varieties can be saved on an annual basis. Likewise, a number of commercially available wheat varieties are also protected by public and private developers through the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) and patents, and can only be used to plant one crop. WestBred sells its seed as certified seed and also uses both the Plant Variety Protection (PVPA) as well as patents to support its breeding innovations. A wheat farmer’s investment in WestBred varieties helps to return dollars back to the company which, in turn, invests those dollars into further research for the farm. A recent article in the Salina Journal profiled steps Kansas State University was taking to raise awareness about the importance of the PVPA. Oklahoma State University also has posted a video discussing the importance of the PVPA and its role in seed varieties. DuPont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred
