b"Rethinking the SAA WorkshopSAAON 25-26 SEPTEMBER,a high-level workshop was held in Lima, Peru, with the aim of rethinking the Seed Association of the Americas (SAA). The workshop brought together rep-resentatives of national seed associations and private companies that are members of the SAA, where they discussed and shared ideas to strengthen the associa-tion, reviewing its current situation and its positioning for the future.The SAA sincerely appreciates the active participation of all those present and the valuable contribution to the asso-ciation and ultimately to the promotion of the seed business in the Americas.SAA Technical Working Groups meetings 2024The classic SAA face-to-face closedNational authorities from MIDAGRI, APESemillas and the SAA delivering the welcome working group meetings were held inspeech at the first national seed forum held in Peru.Lima Peru on September 27-28. These meetings of colleagues from the seedtary regulatory organizations. During theprotection (PVP). It also covered updates industry provided an opportunity for keyopen session, issues of concern to theon certain UPOV topics from the indus-discussions and insights on phytosani- industry on seed movement were sharedtry's perspective, such as confidentiality tary matters, intellectual property rights,with representatives of regulators fromand ownership of molecular informa-biotechnology and plant breeding innova- the region (SENASA-Peru and SAG- tion, new developments in parental lines, tion, and seed treatments. Chile). harvested material and essentially derived The meeting of the PhytosanitaryThis working group has been togethervarieties (EDVs). working group, with almost 40 par- since 2018, following the adoption of theThere were presentations on topics ticipants from different countries ofInternational Standard for Phytosanitaryof interest: Diego Risso, coordinator of the Americas, addressed, among otherMeasures (ISPM) No. 38 on Internationalthe working group, gave a presentation issues, communication with National PlantMovement of Seeds. It has worked onon small holder farmers; Euroseeds and Protection Organizations (NPPOs) andseveral key issues for the industry consid- ISF gave an update on their respective Regional Plant Protection Organizationsered in this standard in order to facilitateIP working groups; and UPOV gave an (RPPOs), as well as the evaluation ofseed trade and that efforts are focusedupdate on its agenda and activities.national seed associations, where propos- on having it adopted by all NPPOs in theMember countries had the oppor-als for improvement were made.Americas. tunity to present their experiences with The agenda of the closed sessionThe working group on intellectualenforcement and royalty collection included the review and progress of theproperty and molecular markers reviewedsystems, and also shared information on topics that this group has been dealingthe situation in the countries and themolecular marker projects. with and reflections on SAAs relationshipoutlook of the regulatory frameworks forThe following day, the SAA work-with the national and regional phytosani- intellectual property (IP) and plant varietying group on biotechnology and plant 8/ SEEDWORLD.COMLATAM"