USDA in search of candidates for Plant Variety Protection Board

Dec 30, 2014

Board advises secretary about Plant Variety Protection Act

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) is seeking candidates to join the Plant Variety Protection Board (PVPB) in 2015.

The Board provides guidance to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about the proper rules and regulations of the Plant Variety Protection Act.

The Board is made up of 14 people from different aspects of plant development. They’re appointed by Secretary Vilsack and include seed industry and farmer representatives. Members serve on a voluntary basis except for expenses the government deems reimbursable.

The Act, which passed in 1970, is designed to provide developers with piece of mind that they’ll be able to recover some of the cost of their research. In 1994 the Act was amended to include potatoes and other tuber crops (crops with an underground way of allowing for new crops to grow.)

Under the Act, protection means protected plant varieties can only be sold by those with a certificate for the product, or with the owner’s permission.

The current Board’s term expires in May 2015 and anyone interested must submit a nomination package by February 6, 2015.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.