BIO and ASTA Welcome Continued Support for the Accord

Washington, D.C. — The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) are pleased with the continued support from key stakeholder groups on work related to patent expiration for biotechnology events.  Today the American Farm Bureau Federation updated its policy on patent expiration and reaffirmed its position for an industry driven solution to address patent expiration.  The updated policy adds additional support for this solution to include negotiated access to data and use of events.

U.S. farm groups have been an important part of the development of the Accord. BIO and ASTA consider continued stakeholder input as critical to making the Accord work for U.S. agriculture.  BIO and ASTA are pleased that the updated policy of the American Farm Bureau Federation supports negotiated access and data sharing.  This revised policy is consistent with the key objectives of both the Generic Event Marketability and Access Agreement (GEMAA) and the Data Use and Compensation Agreement (DUCA).  The GEMAA is now an effective and binding agreement and both organizations are working quickly to complete the DUCA in a way that receives broad support from the seed and biotechnology industry and key agriculture stakeholder groups.

More information about the Accord and the GEMAA can be found at: www.AgAccord.org. 

About ASTA
Founded in 1883, ASTA, located in Alexandria, Va., is one of the oldest trade organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of about 700 companies involved in seed production and distribution, plant breeding, and related industries in North America. As an authority on plant germplasm, ASTA advocates science and policy issues of industry importance. Its mission is to enhance the development and movement of quality seed worldwide.