December 9, 2016, Ottawa, ON – Canada’s leadership in protecting new plant varieties has received international recognition with the election of Anthony Parker, Canada’s Commissioner of Plant Breeders’ Rights, to the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).
Anthony Parker
UPOV members recognized Parker’s knowledge and experience in plant variety protection matters and his role in the ratification of the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention by Canada in 2015.
Parker played an instrumental role in the implementation of the 2015 Agricultural Growth Act which amended Canada’s Plant Breeder’s Rights Act, bringing it into line with the UPOV ’91 Convention. His role in advancing these legislative amendments to the Act has cemented Canada’s reputation as a leader in plant variety development and Plant Breeder’s Rights.
Parker will serve as Chair of the Administrative and Legal Committee (CAJ), which is one of UPOV‘s governing bodies, and is tasked with dealing with the organization’s financial, administrative, legal, and policy matters.
Through the cooperation of its members, UPOV creates an environment which supports investment in plant breeding, bringing innovations to farmers globally. An effective system of intellectual property protection for new plant varieties helps ensure sustainable agricultural production, crop diversity, and food security worldwide. Such new plant varieties include features like improved yields and resistance to plant pests and diseases, a key element for increasing productivity and product quality.
UPOV was founded in 1961, establishing the first International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants; and has since been revised three times, in 1972, 1978 and 1991. UPOV is based in Geneva, Switzerland; and is comprised of 74 members covering 93 states on six continents.
Since 1992, Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights Office has received over 9000 applications for new plant varieties, covering over 330 different crop kinds.
