105 



THE 



Iotato Association of A 



.MERICA 



Publisher* of THE AMERICAN POTATO JOURNAL 



Subcommittee on Department Operation and Nutrition 

 House Committee on Agriculture 



Potato Association of America 



presentation to the hearing 



May 24. 1994 



I he Potato Association of America is pleased to have the opportunity for its representative, Or. David 

 Douches, to appear before this Subcommittee on the subject of intellectual properly rights for potatoes. 



rhe Potato Association of America is the professional society for potato research, extension, utilization and 

 technical workers m the Americas, including the United States. The Association also has members in many 

 other countries around the world. In the United States most of the potato breeders, seed industry specialists, 

 extension specialists and some industry leaders are members of the PAA 



At its 199? annual meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, the PAA formally supported the inclusion of the potato in 

 ihe Plant Variety Protection Act at the same time as revisions arc made as required by the 1991 UPOV 

 convention. This position was reached following discussion at the previous annual meeting, and the 

 consideration of a specially prepared review document 



The major reasons for supporting the inclusion of potatoes in the PVPA revisions arc summarized as follows: 



1 The PVPA meets the requirements of the IIPOV convention which in turn facilitates obtaining protection 

 in other UPOV countries, including Canada and major «ced potato exporting countries, and helps to 

 ensure that royalties are returned to the originator. 



2 The application for protection under the PVPA is relatively straightforward and can he made by the 

 breeder. 



3. With the revisions ansing from the 1991 UPOV convention, PVPA protection will extend to derived 

 varieties such as transgenic varieties developed using biotechnology techniques. 



4 The PVPA explicitly recognizes exemptions for breeding purposes which is important in lacilitating 

 continuing exchanges of potato germplasm 



Ihe Potato Association of America asks you in give favourable consideration to this submission Ihank you 

 for your attention 



