Page 245 - Breeding and regulatory opportunities, Renaud

Summary

results of the horticultural and phytochemical trait performance studies were

translated into a crop improvement strategy for broccoli cultivars adapted

to organic agriculture with enhanced phytochemicals by identifying the

parameters of an organic broccoli crop ideotype.

Chapter 2 reviews and analyses the evolution of organic seed regulation in

the US, as a model case of how challenges in a new regulatory area are being

addressed. The study draws on formal interviews of key stakeholders, participant

observation, and documents generated over a six-year period between 2007

and 2013. The chapter addresses three main issues: (1) how proposals for

the wording and implementation of the regulation constrain seed choices

and give rise to unintended consequences, (2) how emergent organizations

and procedures have responded to the tension between sustaining seed

diferentiation to match the characteristics of local markets, organic production

and agro-ecologies, and the narrowing of varietal choice in catalogued seed

so as to expand commercial organic seed markets and encourage organic

plant breeding, (3) why consensus on the content of formal seed policy has

failed to develop despite a high level of stakeholder engagement. The study

revealed that the oicial guidance on the interpretation of the regulation has

not been suiciently decisive to prevent divergent interpretation and practices,

and therefore the needs of a rapidly growing economic sector are not being

met. The chapter concludes by drawing lessons for key areas of regulatory

interpretation and practice, and by identifying possible ways to make organic

seed governance more efective.

In the US case, the regulators are waiting for the non-governmental stakeholders

to organize the sector to comply with organic seed regulations. Self-organisation

has been only partially achieved, and sector development is evolving too slowly

to optimally support organic seed market growth. While other on-farm organic

inputs are rigorously regulated (e.g. compost, manure), seed is seemingly not

recognized by the regulators as a signiicant input. At the same time the state of

the US regulation has put the organic sector at risk of violating organic integrity.

The regulatory ambiguity contributes to potential violations in the use of non-

acceptable seed and seed treatment inputs, and perpetuates inconsistency in

certiier seed regulatory interpretation and enforcement. It has failed (so far)

to establish a level playing ield among stakeholders. The organic regulation

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