The Fifth All-Russian specialized forum on breeding and seed growing “Russkoye pole”
On October 15-16, 2020, the 5th All-Russian specialized forum on breeding and seed growing “Russkoye pole” took place. The event was held at the Federal Research Center of Rice. As part of the business program of the forum, several panel discussions took place on the following subjects:
- “What law does the industry need? Points of view on the need for the development and control of the State Registry of Breeding Achievements”. The moderator was I.A. Lobach.
After hearing and discussing the reports and presentations, the participants of the panel agreed with the provision of the draft law “On seed growing” on the need for the development and control of the State Registry of Breeding Achievements. However, the procedure for its development and control requires specification by normative acts. In this regard, it is not completely clear how this will actually happen.
- “Pros and cons of using GMO in domestic breeding”. The moderator was V.M. Lucomets.
The great interest among all participants attracted the report of S.V. Zelentsov, head of the laboratory of soybean breeding of V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops, corresponding member of the RAS, “Are the possibilities of traditional breeding of agricultural plants exhausted? Is transgenic (GMO) breeding necessary?” and the presentation by E.Z. Kochieva, professor of the department of biotechnology of Moscow State University, “Genomic editing and its place in the world breeding and legislation”.
- “The expansion of the powers of the Federal Agency Rosselkhoznadzor in the field of seed control. Possibilities and risks”. The moderator was I.A. Lobach.
The forum participants supported the provision on the need for effective control over the quality of seeds in the domestic market, but they believe that the work of supervisory authorities should focus on the quality control of the prepared seeds in the places of their sale and commercial use, and not where they are grown, stored, etc. The excessive concentration of control and supervisory functions in the field of seed growing increases corruption risks, the likelihood of bias in control activities. In the long term, this may negatively affect the investment attractiveness of the industry.
Based on the results of the forum, draft resolutions were prepared, to which the Association accepts comments and additions by October 30, 2020. Their final version will be sent to the industry community and specialized organizations.
99 people took part in the forum (41 in person, 58 in the remote mode).