The number of major crop varieties subject to approval was reduced from 28 to 5
On April 20, the much-anticipated draft amendment to the Seed Law was first submitted to the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress for deliberation. The draft comprehensively regulates aspects such as strengthening the protection of germplasm resources, improving the institutional mechanisms for breeding innovation, and strengthening oversight and management of the seed industry.
Germplasm resources are the material foundation of modern breeding, and once destroyed, they will cause irreparable losses to agriculture and forestry. In recent years, in the course of urban expansion in some localities, the arbitrary occupation of germplasm resource banks, protected areas or conservation sites has been a fairly prominent phenomenon. For this reason, the draft provides that the occupation of germplasm resource banks, protected areas or conservation sites requires the consent of the original establishing authority. Cooperation with foreign countries in research on and utilization of germplasm resources shall be subject to approval by the agriculture and forestry administrative departments of the State Council.
The variety approval system is an important system of variety management in China, and its implementation over many years has played a positive role in the promotion of superior seed varieties in China. However, at present there are too many varieties requiring approval, the approval channels are narrow, and the approval process is not standardized. For this reason, the draft reduced the types of major crop varieties subject to approval, from the current 28 to a total of 5: rice, wheat, corn, cotton and soybean. A green channel for variety approval is to be established; where varieties independently developed by seed enterprises that meet the statutory conditions require approval, the enterprises may complete the trials on their own in accordance with the approval measures. At the same time, a variety withdrawal system is to be established; where approved crop varieties and forest tree varieties develop insurmountable serious defects and are no longer suitable for continued marketing and promotion, the original announcing department shall issue a public notice and stop their marketing and promotion.
In recent years, economic crops such as vegetables, fruit trees and flowers in China have become pillar industries of the agricultural and rural economy, yet they have long been in a state of lacking management. Because the above varieties are directly related to personal health and public safety, the draft provides for the establishment of a registration system for non-major crop varieties; varieties included in the registration catalog shall, before promotion, apply for registration and be publicly announced, as the basis for entering the market for marketing and promotion.
In addition, in response to consumers' concerns about the safety of genetically modified products, the draft provides that the breeding, testing, approval and promotion of genetically modified plant varieties shall undergo safety evaluation, adopt strict safety control measures, and the agriculture and forestry administrative departments of the State Council shall strengthen follow-up oversight and promptly announce information concerning the approval and promotion of relevant genetically modified plant varieties.