b'THE TRICKLE-DOWN IMPACT OF BROWN BAG SEED SALESIllegal seed sales affect all levels of the plant breeding and development chain.Ashley RobinsonAN ILLEGAL SO-called brown bag seedThis work takes money and time awaythat infringes on intellectual property sale may not seem like a big deal. Youfrom being able to develop new croprights by partaking in brown bag seed get a deal on seed you need to grow yourvarieties for farmers. Brown bag seedsales, it factors into future investment crop. However, these sales have wide- sales also harm competition as it makes itdecisions, Parker added. He said some ranging negative impacts people may notharder for seed companies to make profits. seed companies dont want to invest in think about. Youre going to have less investment,Canada because of the amount of brown Brown bag seed sales cause a lossnot just in pure dollars, but by a numberbag seed sales happening in the country.of revenue for the plant breeder andof companies. So, in the end, a growerIf we dont have plant breeding, we the seed company; (it) goes all the wayis going to hurt him or herself becausedont have innovation and we lose our down the chain. And its a lost sale fortheyre going to have less breedingcompetitive advantage, Karlowsky said. the authorized seed grower. The loss ofprograms to choose genetics from, saidPlant breeding is the only way to do revenue hinders the development and theBryan Gerard, president and co-owner ofthat. And if you dont invest in certified distribution and production of new seedJoMar Seeds. seed and buy certified seed, that wont varieties, which are essential for growersWhen your country is seen as a regionhappen. to have access to. They need access to the best varieties they can buy with disease resistance and continuous yield improve-ment, Jodee Karlowsky, general manager of Alliance Seed, said during a recent episode of Seed Speaks.Theres added costs for plant breedersWatch the entire episode at germination.ca/brown-bag-seedand seed companies when they pursue legal action against those partaking in brown bag seed sales, she added. Plant breeders and seed companies must pay for investigations into the illegal seed sales and any further legal actions required.Typically, its up to the breeder to enforce; sending a cease-and-desist letter is usually the first step in the process. But if someone (has) multiple infringe-ments and refuses or ignores that, then the process that you have to go through is to file a claim with the courts, and then it becomes a civil matter, explained Anthony Parker, commissioner of the Plant Breeders Rights Office.JANUARY 2024GERMINATION.CA 41'