North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Sarah Kehler Ewing <skkewing@yahoo.com>]

Hi David,

I just heard about the change in policy from an email forwarded by a friend 
told she wasn't getting anything this year!  I'm completely annoyed.  I agree 
that we should support the nurseries out there and I have/do, but most of the 
stuff in Canada's clonal genebank isn't available anywhere else.  For 
instance, I bought a ton of rootstock last year so I could graft their entire 
cherry plum collection.  I have an entire box full of printed catalogues and 
a long list of bookmarked nurseries, but I already have every cherry plum 
commercially available.  On the other hand, CCG has the entire greek alphabet 
series and now they won't let me have them!   Seriously, how many people in 
Canada want cherry plum material?  And I'm using Cherry plums just as an 
example: I loaded up on pear rootstock too planning to graft some varieties 
this spring, thankfully I grafted about 75 kinds apples last year.

Could you please send me the address (email or otherwise) where you 
protested? I would like to add a letter of complaint too.  

Do you have any information on what I would have to do to be recognized as a 
"bona fide researcher or breeder" to get this exemption?  I like to tell 
people (a bit tongue in cheek) that I own/operate a 'husband funded private 
research station' and plan to get into breeding red fleshed desert apples, 
but I need the start-up materials to do that!  If I could get an exemption, 
I'd be happy to request materials for others!!! 

Sarah 
zone 3
Edmonton, AB


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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