As is the case with intellectual property protection, it has evolved over the last many decades to the point where the germplasm of the plants and animals is considered a national treasure and a resource. Countries are becoming quite protective of the germplasm.
In Saskatchewan, at the University of Saskatchewan, most of the varieties we own were released directly in partnership with producer groups for them to cultivate across the country. There was no record of intellectual property protection on them.
Over the years, the crop development centre, in partnership with the producer groups, for example, whether canola, lentils or wheat.... Now we work in partnership with them to protect the seed lines, the variety lines, which are housed at the crop development centre in partnership with the producers, and we release to them directly. The control of the release of those varieties is still in partnership with the CDC and the producer groups.
The intellectual property piece is still done, because producer groups are the ones taking the varieties from us, particular producer groups. They're releasing it to them.
The exact number of the varieties that we might put an intellectual property or patent on is something I can't recall right now, but I will be happy to submit a one-page brief to this committee in a matter of days, within the week. I will be happy to do that.