PLANT VARIETY RIGHTS

A review of the Plant Variety Rights Act is currently underway. This is an important piece of regulation for our sector and NZ Plant Producers is actively engaged in the review process.

Plant producers are a vital part of the success of our primary industries, providing innovation through the selection and production of plant varieties that are suited to New Zealand and create value both domestically and in international markets. 

Many NZ Plant Producers members propagate or own the rights to plants that are protected by the Plant Variety Rights Act.  Our members have interests across the PVR regime, including as plant breeders, germplasm importers and as plant producers who propagate and grow plants that are covered by the PVR regime. The Act is therefore an important piece of legislation that supports the success of our sector.

NZ Plant Producers supports the current review of the Plant Variety Rights legislation and has  provided submissions supporting the alignment of the Act with the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.

Our key points are:

• The current PVR regime is overly complicated and expensive for the users of the system.
• There is not enough protection for the owners of PVRs
• The enforcement of rights and the consequences for infringements are inadequate
• There are problems with the governance of the system

Cabinet approved the changes in November 2019 and has started drafting the new legislation. Further consultation will occur next year on the associated regulations and fees.