Page 24 - Breeding and regulatory opportunities, Renaud

Chapter 1

to receive their organic certiication. The NOP standard, Section 205.204(a)(5)

prescribes the use of organic seed in an organic production system whenever

such seed is commercially available, and details how to apply for derogation if

the organic seed is not available (USDA AMS, 2002). According to the standards

of the IFOAM, ‘certiied organic seed’ is deined as seed from varieties that may

be derived from conventional breeding programs (excluding genetic engineer-

ing) that are produced under organic farming conditions for one growing season

for annual crop species, and two growing seasons for perennial and biannual

crop species (IFOAM, 2012). At the start of my study in 2007, the US organic

seed regulation was (and still is) very much in development. Nevertheless, the

evolving interpretation of the seed clause stimulated some seed companies

to enter the organic market by investing in organic seed production, and has

also raised the awareness of farmers about their cultivar requirements and

their current and potential role in the organic seed chain (Dillon and Hubbard,

2011; Podoll, 2011). Other conventional seed companies are struggling with

the implications of the organic seed regulation enforcement upon their seed

business model. Currently, these seed companies supply organic farmers

with post-harvest untreated seed of the conventional varieties that they have

available. In addition to the involvement of the formal seed sector and farmer

groups in the organic seed regulation, several new organizational structures

have developed in response to the evolving regulatory environment. Various

organizations have been formed with the overarching objective of guiding the

enforcement process and supporting farmers in identifying varieties that best

suit their production systems and markets.

1.3 Problem description

The challenge of designing a seed development and breeding strategy for

robust cultivars adapted to organic agriculture raises both regulatory and

technical issues that at the beginning of the study, and in fact since, had not

been empirically researched or discussed fully in the scientiic literature.

1.3.1 Challenges in developing an organic seed sector

While at the inception of the study the EU organic seed regulation was more

developed, with clear guidelines and timelines for enforcement, the US organic

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