b'REFLECTIONS OF AN EXPERTAN OUTLOOK ON THE FUTURE OF VARIETY INSPECTION AND TESTING IN EUROPE.BY: MARCEL BRUINSSEED WORLD EUROPE (SWE): JOHN, YOU WHY IT MATTERS STUDIED PLANT BREEDING AND HORTICUL-With the newTURE AT WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY, BUT YOU proposed EUNEVER ENTERED THE BUSINESS AS BREEDER OR legislation onRESEARCHER. HOW COME? Plant ReproductiveJohn van Ruiten (JvR): I started my professional Material nowcareer in 1985 when I joined the NAKS, an inspec-public, Seedtion organisation in ornamentals in the Netherlands, World Europe as technical director. In that period, the ornamentalchecked in withpropagating and breeding sector grew very rapidly. John van Ruiten,My focuses were internationalisation, new propaga-managing directortion techniques, certification, and at the end of the of the Netherlands1980s, new EU legislation on propagating material of Quality andornamental species. I enjoyed working in a part of the Inspection Servicehorticultural sector, building good quality and test-in Horticulture,ing systems in very close cooperation with breeders Naktuinbouw. Vanand cutting producers. In 1993 this service merged Ruiten has a longwith NAKB, which existed for the certification of history in seedfruit plants and arboriculture, and later with NAKG, quality systems,which carried out inspections within the vegetable and we wantedcrop sector, to in 2000 form Naktuinbouw. to get his opinionSo, although I am not a plant breeder myself, on various topicsI have always worked in the breeding sector. And and developmentshaving that education and technical knowledge in plant healthhelped me a lot in understanding the issues and chal-as well as thelenges companies face.new proposed EUSWE:INTERNATIONALLYSPEAKING, legislation andNAKTUINBOUW HAS A SPECIAL POSITION AS its impact on theAN OFFICIAL ORGANISATION, EXECUTING GOV-seed sector. VanERNMENT TASKS, BUT SEPARATE FROM GOV-Ruiten is now inERNMENT. EXPLAIN.his last year as managing directorJvR: Yes, this is what we call a specific Dutch con-of Naktuinbouw. Instruction. The reason goes back almost 100 years,John van Ruiten2024, he will retirewhen seed producers and organisations in our coun-after 23 years oftry felt the need to create their own private system leading the Dutchto control the quality of seeds and plant material.sector, this led to the current situation that in NL we system for seedAt that time, there was a lot of inferior material inhave inspection systems that were developed in very inspection. the market, which was not only bad for the buyersclose cooperation with the sector itself.of that material, but also damaging for the trust of other producers and the image of the sector. So, inSWE: IF THIS SYSTEM IS OPERATED BY A the Netherlands (NL), a number of private, non- NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION, DOES profit foundations were created by growers that wereIT MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE? tasked to safeguard identity, quality and health ofJvR: Of course, this is an important issue. All inspec-seeds and plant material. For a long time, this wastion organisations in NL (also in agricultural field voluntary, but with the creation of the Seeds andcrops NAK and flower bulbs BKD) have a board with Planting Material Actin NL in 1966, the govern- representatives from the sector, and a chairperson of ment decided to make use of this existing system andthe board appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture gave it an official status. From that moment onwards,Nature and Food Quality. Each board holds respon-growers were legally obliged to be registered and tosibility for financing activities, investments, tariffs, have their material inspected and tested. Based on arules and regulations and organisational develop-long history and commitment of the companies in thements. Decisions of each board need the approval 54ISEED WORLD EUROPEIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'