Leading industry organizations have sent an open letter to the European Commission calling for urgent improvements to EU seed legislation, which they say poses a “massive threat” to the diversity of cultivated plants and European agriculture.

Around 139 organizations from 23 European countries have appealed to EU agriculture ministers and the new EU health commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, about the current legislative proposal on seeds, which they argue disregards farmers’ rights to harvest, use, exchange and sell their own seeds.

The group says a key concern with the EU proposal, which falls under the “EU Regulation on the Production and Marketing of Plant Reproductive Material,” is that activities aimed at saving rare varieties, such as transferring cuttings from endangered apple trees or sharing endangered bean varieties, would be regulated as “marketing” for the first time — heavily penalizing parts of the industry.

Leading organizations such as Oxfam, Slow Food and the Belgian seed organization Vitale Rassen have signed the letter and the “Raise Your Forks for Diversity” petition, which has also been signed by more than 130,000 citizens and outlines proposed changes to the regulation. 

“Across Europe, gardeners and farmers work, often on a voluntary basis, to preserve crop genetic diversity for present and future generations. These individuals contribute greatly to our food security. Yet, they are being punished with complex regulations intended for the commercial seed market,” says Magdalena Prieler, seed policy expert at one of the petition signatories, Arche Noah.

Draft legislation restrictions

The letter argues that the conservation and sustainable use of locally adapted crop diversity should be an overriding priority. They also demand the full implementation of farmers’ and gardeners’ human rights to harvest, use, exchange and sell their own seeds.

The group expresses a need for regional seed producers to be facilitated in marketing diverse and locally adapted varieties. Lastly, they demand that newly approved varieties be non-dependent on pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

“We call on you to not succumb to the industry’s pressure but to protect and promote the diversity of our cultivated plants as well as farmers’ right to harvest, use, exchange and sell their own PRM. We kindly request a meeting with you to discuss the importance of cultivated plant diversity and our concerns with the proposal,” says the letter. 

Next week, EU ministers will meet at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels to discuss the new regulation. The group hopes its joint letter and petition will persuade ministers to amend the proposal to address their concerns. 

“The genetic diversity of crops is of vital impor­tance to managing environmental changes and a key tool for resilience in the face of the climate crisis while guaranteeing stability for production and protecting the natural environment,” says Marta Messa, Slow Food secretary general.

In July 2023, the European Commission presented the draft for new regulation on the production and marketing of seeds and propagating material. In April 2024, the European Parliament called for improvements to protect agro-biodiversity and farmers’ rights. Agriculture ministers’ discussions are still ongoing.

Trialogue negotiations between the Commission, Council, and Parliament are expected to begin in the spring of 2025 under the Polish Council presidency.