b'Jose Marcelo Caro Tobar, station manager for Rijk Zwaan in Chileprices/competition are never discussedDANISH ORGANISATIONS So many possibilities aheadin the forum. Such issues do not belong in the Danish Seed Council (or in the Danish Seed Association for that matter).International SeedEuropean Seed Association After studying agronomics in Santiago, I returned to the village where Id been raised and still felt SUPPORT TO THE COUNCILFederation (ISF) (ESA) at home. I started working at Rijk Zwaan, and just two years later I was asked to become station MEMBERS manager. It was a tough decision for me because I knew I had to move away from my village. But inI have three main tasks, says Elmegaard.the end I went for it, and Im glad I did. Ive been able to strongly develop personally and theTo improve the production/marketingDAPB combination of working with plants and people is perfect for me. When I look back on my time atframework for the sector; to pursue theDanish Association of Plant Breeders Rijk Zwaan, I feel really thankful for the steps that Ive been able to takeand Im still only 31 years research track, and to gather statisticsold and see so many possibilities ahead of me! on production. I work for the sector on different issues in Denmark and interna-tionally to find the long-lasting solutionsVarietyVariety ownersDanish Seed DAKOFO(and sometimes the shorter ones).Denmark grasses Association (Danish AssociationSharing ambitionsToensureconsensus,wearefor grain trade) Jose Marcelo Caro Tobar seizes theconvinced that dialog is the way forwardopportunities that come by and thus says Elmegaard. Members are allowed tokeeps on developing. Rijk Zwaan fight their own position when necessaryPlant Breeding organisations Seed Trade organisationsand luckily, in most cases consensus isa worldwide player in vegetable breeding reached. Variety Denmark is the Danish seedDanish Seed Association has 3 sections: shares this approach. We are working association for cereals, rape seed andGrasses and clovers seeds; Vegetables seeds; potatoesrepresenting all the variety Beet seeds, and is member of Danish Seedtogether towards a healthy future. ORIGIN owners in Denmark Council (the Danish Seed Growers Association The Danish Seed Council was formed inVariety owners grasses is a separateis also member) 1973 when Denmark joined the EU. Theorganisationrepresenting variety owners inDAKOFO is the Danish grain and feed tradeLearn more at rijkzwaan.comchairmanship is divided between thegrasses association, incl. seeds and production of growers and the seed companies. I holdgrain seedsthe SG position in both the Danish Seed Council and the Danish Seed Association, and a colleague holds the secretarialbreeders, Danish universities and theVariety Denmark is also active at post in the growers association, saysDanish Food and Agriculture Council,national level in boards and other forums, Elmegaard. In 1972, it was actually thesays Erichsen. including formal forums with our author-Minister of Agriculture that suggested toThe Secretary-General of Varietyities. One example is the Forum for Plant the sector to form such a forum to dealDenmark is Asbjrn Brsting. In addi- Varieties and Seeds, which is the national with the EU-membership. The Danishtion to that, Variety Denmark has alsoforum for dialogue and negotiations Seed Council was the prime informer tofour to five part time employees, sharedbetween the industry and authorities the Minister at that time on these mat- with DAKOFO. The secretariat of Variety(both international and national political ters. At that time, the other grass seedDenmark is located at the old stockagenda). producing countries were not happy withexchangebuild by the famous DanishAll the Danish Associations are the prospect of letting Denmark be partKing Christian the 4ththe beautifulmembers of the umbrella organisation of the grass seed market due to the pro- building thats almost 400 years old. Danish Association of Plant Breeders duction volume. In the late 70s, produc- Main activities of Variety Denmark(DAPB), which is the formal member of tion in EU was way above needs from theinclude handling the interests of theirESA and ISF.market. Denmark came out the winner inmembers at national as well as interna-the end. tional levels in relation to marketing andDANISH SEED INDUSTRYtrading, export, legislation and otherDenmark is the largest grass seed VARIETY DENMARKCEREALS,relevant political issues. One of the mainexporter in the world of temperate RAPESEED AND POTATOESactivities in Variety Denmark is the col- grasses. The surface area is approx. In Denmark the seed sectors of cereals,lection of licenses on certified seed (from80,000 hectares of grass seed production. oilseed rape and potatoes are joined inthe seed marketing industry) as well asLolium perenne is by far the major spe-the Danish association: Variety Denmark.farm saved seed from farmers and dis- cies, with almost half of the area. Number This association was founded in 1963 andtributing these licences to the varietytwo is Festuca rubra. Third and fourth has 20 members including both Danishowners. Variety Denmark is member ofare Poa pratensis and Festuca arundi-and international plant breeders/varietyESA and ISFand active in several com- naceae. Denmark also holds a major owners that are represented in Denmark.mittees.position in the production and market-Variety Denmark shares its secretariatAmong all the activities, the mosting of white clover. And we should not with DAKOFOthe Danish Grain andimportant topics at Variety Denmark saysforget the spinach seed production, where Feed Trade Association. DAKOFO repre- Erichsen are:Denmark covers approx. 75 percent of the sents the entire grain and feed sector in1) To provide our members a strongworld production of hybrid spinach seed, Denmark. Erichsen indicates this givesplatform to produce and market their seedssays Elmegaard.both associations a number of advantages2) A smooth and efficient royalty col- Erichsen adds that the largest crops with the horizontal-chain-value approachlection system (certified as well as FSS)in Denmark are cereals. Usually wheat on many issues. Further to that, I also3) To make sure that the seed sectorcovers 600,000 ha. And spring barley host the secretariat of Crop Innovationis timely engaged in political and legisla- covers 550,000 ha. In Denmark we have Denmark (CID)a public-private-part- tive discussionsto set the right direction a very high use of certified seeds, our nershippromotingplantbreeding4)Topromoteinnovationandpercentages are among the absolutely research. Members include Danish plantresearch within the sector highest in Europe. As we have a very high 54IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COMRZN-adv-hillenraad-240x340mm-wt2-190708.indd 2 08/07/2019 20:55'