Tania,
Yes. There will be no guaranteed royalties for any specific period, because we can't guarantee continued demand.
We will continue to offer varieties for as long as there are significant sales. Hopefully, some people will buy from us to support small independent breeders, but at some point successful varieties will be picked up by numerous other places and sold for less than we can afford to sell for.
It is hard to capture value from open pollinated varieties.
If a breeder can get a larger seed company to release a variety and give them royalties (and potentially even pay for a PVP) that would be a better scenario. However, it is next to impossible for small breeders to interest seed companies in protecting OP varieties and paying royalties.
The odds may go up, however, if we are trialing the variety. This is because it may get noticed by a larger seed company visiting our trials. Then the question may be "can the variety be protected".
Let's take the example of Captain Lucky. We are releasing this variety, and we have the breeder's blessing (and are paying a royalty for it).
But, Captain Lucky was freely distributed through informal channels and other small seed companies are releasing it too. This is not to say the breeder was right or wrong to distribute seed. We have also freely distributed seed for varieties that we will never make a penny on (Maglia Rosa, Spike and Lucinda). It is just something to think about when freely sending seed of that fantastic variety you have around...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tania
Fred,
Looks like breeders will not be guaranteed royalties once the seed is picked up by other seed companies? As you'd stop offering it?
I like the idea of having a very high 'bar' for varieties - this will justify much higher prices and hence higher royalties going to the breeders, which is very important!
Can't wait to see your website ready.
Tatiana
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