Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998jimmie.turner@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack today announced the appointment of 14 members to the Plant Variety Protection Board.
“These appointees represent a cross section of the industry, and I am confident that producers of new plant varieties will be well served by them,” said Vilsack.
Newly appointed members are: Robert Bowman of DeWitt, Iowa; Leticia Cabrera, Clarinda, Iowa; Jonathan Egilla, Jefferson City, Mo.; Phil Haynie, Kinsale, Va.; Kristine Mantey, Summerville, S.C.; Corinne Marshall, San Jose, Calif.; and Salomon Montano, Bosque, N.M.
Reappointed members are: June D. Blalock of Beltsville, Md.; Kent J. Bradford, Davis, Calif.; Steven J. Callistein, Johnston, Iowa; John C. Gardner, Seattle; Patrick J. Kole, Boise, Idaho; John H. Nelsen, Alvin, Texas; and Katherine White, Detroit.
Section 7 of the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) authorizes the Plant Variety Protection Board to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the adoption of new rules and regulations, make advisory decisions on appeals from applicants, and advise on declaring a protected variety open to public use in emergencies. In 1970, Congress established the board, which includes farmers, representatives of the seed industry, and public and private plant breeders.
The PVPA is administered by the Plant Variety Protection Office, which grants certificates of intellectual property rights protection to developers of new varieties of plants that are reproduced sexually by seed or are tuber-propagated. This protection enables the breeder to market the variety exclusively for a fixed time period and, in doing so, creates an incentive for investment in the development for new plant varieties.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the operation of the board.
More information about Plant Variety Protection can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/pvpo.
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