b'NGTs event held in June during The National Agriculture Fair. Source: ANSEME.Currently we have six Sections: maize, cereals, oilseeds, fodder crops, vegetables, and seed potatoes. However, this organization is flexible and new Sections can be created whenever necessary.We cooperate with the Portuguese official services in the National Catalogue Variety registrations, establishing VCU Trials for maize, sunflower and forage crops. We also participate in several projects with other stakeholders and partners related to agricultural practices, precision farming and other topics. In addition, we are present at major agriculture events at the national level, such as fairs and exhibitions.MEMBERSHIP AT ANSEMECurrently ANSEME has 38 members. Seventy-sex per cent of the members measure more than 50 per cent of their business volume in seed. The association welcomes as members all companies special-ized in breeding, producing and/or selling seeds in Portugal, from small family businesses to large multinationals. This heterogeneity that characterizes the association, despite not always being easy to A technical visit with associate members. Source: ANSEME. manage, enriches our work, ensuring that all the associations posi-tions are properly balanced. Despite this heterogeneity, we believe that we have been able to manage the interests of our associates while maintaining harmony inside the association. Besides this, we STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION have extraordinary associate members, which are companies active ANSEMEs mission is to assure the smooth functioning of thein the food business that supply seeds to their farmers. Although sector, ensuring the supply of seeds in quantity, quality and varietiesthese companies are not directly involved in the seed business, they adapted to the markets demands. Through the technical support andend up handling seeds.information provided to the associated companies about require-ments and changes to the regulations, as well as the promotion andPORTUGUESE LANGUAGE COUNTRIESvalue of certified seed, ANSEME works for a fair, transparent andANSEME has also good relations with the Community of the professional seed market. Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Portuguese language We hold two General Assembly meetings per year duringcountries, in particular those in Africa, are an important market for which we offer technical visits to our Associate members, such asPortuguese seed companies. The cultural and, above all, linguistic visits to seed companies, industries, public research centers and offi- proximity enables commercial transitions. cial seed services. These are great opportunities to unify the sector and to widen horizons. The association is organized by TechnicalEditors Note: Silvia Benquerena is an external consultant who collab-Sections, exactly like the Sections in Euroseeds, for practical reasons.orates with the Portuguese seed association ANSEME. 12ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE'