[NAFEX] Availability of grafting wood from government repositories

david.maxwell at dal.ca david.maxwell at dal.ca
Wed Mar 31 19:55:07 EDT 2010


I have recently encountered an issue with the provision of grafting wood from the Canadian 
Germplasm Repository.  They have determined that I am neither a "bona fide researcher nor 
a breeder", and hence am not entitled to obtain grafting wood from the Repository (the 
equivalent of the National Plant Germplasm System in the States).  Obviously this 
determination applies to virtually all the Canadian NAFEX members, (other than the staff of 
the dwindling number of govt research stations and multinational agribusiness employees.)  I 
have registered my objection to this interpretation, which represents a substantial change 
from the practice to date.  But to bolster my argument I need information from other 
jurisdictions.  Am I correct in my belief that ordinary citizens of the US can request material 
from the various repositories maintained by the NPGS?  And that my cousins in the UK can 
get wood from Brogdale or Long Ashton? And so on for Holland, France, India, etc.?  Note 
that the issue here has nothing to do with disease transmission, quarantine, prohibition of 
importation of specfic material into specific states, etc.  Rather it hinges specifically on the 
perceived mandate of the Repository, which is restricted to "bona fide researchers".  And 
amateur growers are not, in their eyes.  (I note that the NPGS also state that "Germplasm is 
available in small quantities for research purposes"  ; obviously if my belief that people 
outside academic centres and government labs can nevertheless access materials in the 
States is correct, the crux of the issue hinges on the definition of a "researcher". (I think 
NAFEX members, and all the train of amateur fruit growers who preceded us have done far 
more legitimate real world research than all the white coated lab types.)
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