Comments on: How the European Common Catalogue destroys biodiversity

By: Andrew Ray

Andrew Ray — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:46:35 +0000

I just discovered this “Common Catalog” stuff today when searching for information on tall varieties of wheat. It is stunning. I’m an American living in Slovakia in a small village. I’m used to feeling as though, in certain respects, I am living in a police state compared to the U.S., but this is really over-the-top!
I’m sure I’ll get arrested someday for giving a neighbor heirloom collard or okra seeds that I bring over from trips home to the U.S.

By: Another Blasted Weblog » Terminate this arrant nonsense. Now.

Another Blasted Weblog » Terminate this arrant nonsense. Now. — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:03:38 +0000

[...] People who manage to oppose both Terminator technologies and genetically modified organisms give me the willies. If they really want to campaign about something worthwhile then here’s a thought. Instead of bleating on about the noble peasant farmers of Ecuador, or wherever, who can in fact grow anything they like, these social consciences should turn their noble, charitable minds to the state of affairs here in Europe, where the seed legislation ensures that everything not permitted is forbidden. [...]

By: Seed Regulation: How much is enough? at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Seed Regulation: How much is enough? at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:31:18 +0000

[...] this year we posted about how EU Regulations destroy agricultural biodiversity and proposed rules to allow the marketing of European traditional varieties. Eliseu Bettencourt, a [...]

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 15:49:08 +0000

Thanks for your kind words Patrick. And I’ve added your exchange page to our list.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:16:17 +0000

This is a great post! I posted about this last year, but you explained it a lot better than I did.

Rebsie just told me about your blog and pointed me to the comments you left on Daughter of the Soil. I’m not sure why it took me so long to find you. I’m looking forward to reading more on your blog.

I live in the Netherlands and also trade seeds on my blog, as an individual like Garden of Eden. I hope you will add me to your seed exchange list.

By: Rebsie Fairholm

Rebsie Fairholm — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:45:27 +0000

What a fantastic post and a very eloquent summary of the stupidity we are currently lumbered with. I’ve always assumed the reason for the system was simply ignorance and failure of imagination on the part of those who drafted it, however worthy their intentions may have been … but that’s just my assumption.

Anyway, I’m delighted to have found your blog … you’re doing great work here.

Rebsie

By: (Useless) friends in high places at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

(Useless) friends in high places at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 19:31:06 +0000

[...] No less a gardener than Prince Charles (of England) does not like the EU seed marketing legislation, and admits that he could be considered a criminal for saving and distributing unregistered varieties. I have not seen any comments from him on the proposals for the future. But his opinion carries not the slightest bit of weight with the regulators, I promise. I wonder whether he has seen my own modest proposal? Probably not. [...]

By: (Useless) friends in high places at Another Blasted Weblog

(Useless) friends in high places at Another Blasted Weblog — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:10:08 +0000

By: What I would like Europe to do about agricultural biodiversity at Another Blasted Weblog

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:39:26 +0000

[...] Over at the other place I’ve written about the history of European Union legislation on agricultural biodiversity and on a new draft that they think will put matters right. I don’t think it will, and I’m saddened to be unable to find any reports of the discussions on the draft that were to have taken place this month. But rather than clutter up that space with polemic, I thought I’d take advantage of my manifold outlets to sound off here. [...]

By: Luigi

Luigi — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:21:15 +0000

Here’s a comment from Franz Konig:

I will be looking forward to see your analysis of the bureaucratic response but I would like to warn you that a long piece on bureaucratic solutions may be a waste of time: the future EU Directive on conservation varieties, in the process of being finalized soon, can only be summarized very briefly: wrong wrong wrong.

1. In the wrong committee (Standing Committee on Seed – this should have been Conservation or Agrobiodiversity. Officals dealing with seed certification may not have a good understanding of what landraces are and in what context they are grown. Is there consultation with the Plant Genetic Resources community?

2. With wrong criteria: UPOV standards of Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability, requirements of labeling, seed purity – imagine this procedure for a farmer in the Alps who wants to give some of his Dinkel variety that he has inherited from his father to a neighbour: he will have to clean his seed, label it with an EU label, package it and even seal it!

Is help possible?

There is one word in the EU buraucratic jargon which offers a solution and that is derogation. Instead of more regulation areas of exemption are needed, enclaves for the informal seed sector. The draft directive “provides for some derogations” – where it should have provided for substantial derogations. Leave landraces out of this directive altogether – for example.

The question is going to be which party will demand more derogations (and when). I hope we can discuss this further.