North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[david.maxwell@dal.ca]

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.)