Edinburgh, Scotland — ISF was pleased to join colleagues and partners from the European seed sector at the Euroseeds 2025 Congress.
Ensuring Access for Innovation
ISF Secretary General Michael Keller joined a high-level panel on the International Plant Treaty & the Future of Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) alongside Treaty Secretary Kent Nnadozie.
During the discussion, Michael emphasized the Treaty’s vital role in ensuring access to plant genetic resources for breeding and innovation. With the 11th Governing Body set to meet in Lima next month, there is renewed optimism for strengthening the Multilateral System (MLS) and developing a practical, equitable benefit-sharing framework to sustain investment in plant breeding.
Michael noted that the private seed sector—from SMEs to global cooperatives—has consistently contributed ideas to this process, highlighting the essential role of improved seeds in sustainable agri-food systems and food security. The panel reinforced the importance of trust, legal certainty, and harmonization across Access and Benefit-Sharing frameworks, and looked forward to negotiators achieving a sustainable outcome to strengthen the MLS in Lima.
Advancing Seed Quality in Forage & Turf
The ISF Forage and Turf Advisory Group convened in Edinburgh alongside the 2025 Euroseeds Congress, bringing together 17 experts from across the global seed industry.
The meeting focused on key policy and technical topics shaping the sector, including ISTA e-certificates, global market access initiatives, and upcoming changes to EU seed regulations (PRM and NGTs). Participants also discussed industry actions to address illegal seed practices, and ongoing efforts in trade arbitration and mediation to strengthen trust and compliance globally.
The session reinforced the group’s commitment to ensuring high-quality forage and turf seed supply for farmers and producers worldwide while advancing innovation, regulatory alignment, and fair trade within the value chain.#
