End-Point Royalties for Plant Breeding in Australia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2007

Journal Title

Agenda - A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform

ISSN

ISSN (print): 1322-1833 ISSN (online): 1447-4735

Keywords

Plant breeding, Australia, End-point royalties, Public financing (plant breeding), Plant Breeders

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural and Resource Economics | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Plant Breeding and Genetics

Abstract

Publicly financed services to agricultural industries have been under review for some years (Baker et al., 1990; Watson et al., 1992; Industry Commission, 1994). Policy change has occurred in the public funding and provision of agricultural R&D and extension services (Cary, 1993; Godden, 1997). Change could be imminent in the publicly-funded provision of plant breeding services.

Australia’s major broadacre industries are supported by mainly publicly financed plant breeding (Begg & Peacock, 1990). State governments finance plant breeding in State agricultural agencies and research institutes. Supporting funds come from the federal government that matches, up to a cap, farmers’ levy payments on grain production. The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) administers these growers’ and federal government contributions, and allocates some of the funds to providers of plant breeding services.

Plant breeding is subject to new legislation that enlarges and protects property rights in plant varieties. This enlargement of property rights may prompt change in the publicly financed provision of plant varieties for Australia’s broadacre industries. The Plant Breeder’s Rights Act 1994 extends intellectual property rights in plant varieties created in previous 1987 legislation.

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