b'The BSPB office in Ely, UK.ROYALTY COLLECTION the testing authorities, BSPB took overnew varieties depends on them being BSPB acts on members behalf to licenseresponsibility for co-ordinating Nationalable to operate within an enabling, sci-and collect royalties on certified seed ofList variety trials on a pilot basis in 2004,ence-based regulatory environment, in protected varieties of cereals, pulses,beginning with spring peas and oats. Inwhich innovation is supported by effec-potatoes and grasses in the UK. Thesubsequent years this was extended totive IP protection and appropriate levels Society also manages the UK-wide systemcover all cereals, pulses and sugar beetof public sector funding for relevant R&D. for collecting payments for the use ofvarieties, followed by maize, oilseed rapeBSPB works to achieve this through farm-saved seed (FSS) of protected vari- and herbage. BSPB is now contracted byengagement with regulators, policymak-eties, operating under the terms of anthe official UK testing authorities to carryers, research funders and other industry agreement between BSPB and the majorout National List trials on all crop speciesorganisations, ensuring members inter-farming unions.except potatoes. ests are represented and communicating In recent years, BSPB has investedNational List trials are operated onthe importance of the plant breeding in bespoke database software, additionala full cost-recovery system, funded bysector to the needs of society and the staff resources and industry-wide com- breeders. The trials are either conductedenvironment.munications to improve the efficiency ofby BSPB members or carried out underWhere possible, BSPB seeks to its certified and farm-saved seed collec- contract by testing organisations suchamplify its voice by finding common tion systems.as NIAB. The Societys pivotal role incause with industry partners and other It is worth noting that FSS paymentsco-ordinating the statutory National Listlike-minded organisations. BSPB is a now account for around 30% of total roy- system has strengthened its technical rel- founding stakeholder of the All-Party alties collected by BSPBa significantevance and compatibility with the indus- Parliamentary Group on Science and proportion of the income available totry-led Recommended and DescriptiveTechnology in Agriculture at Westminster members for investment in future breed- Lists of varieties, while at the same timeand is an active member of the cross-in-ing programmes. Also, the Societys focusdelivering cost-savings of over 1 milliondustry Agri-Supply Coalition and Crop on collection efficiency allows at leasta year by improving efficiency, removingInnovation Network (CropIN) groupings. 97.5p in every 1 collected to be returnedduplication and reducing unnecessary directly to members. red tape. COVID-19In the first few weeks of lockdown, as TRIALS CO-ORDINATION INDUSTRY REPRESENTATION panic-buying stripped the supermarket Operating under official licence fromMembers ability to develop successfulshelves of many basic foodstuffs, the dev-24IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'