WilmerHale Partner Bruce Manheim will present "The Nagoya Protocol and the Plant Treaty: A Practical Perspective to Compliance and the Development of ABS Agreements" as part of the workshop "Germplasm Exchange And The Nagoya Protocol:  What Changes Can Plant Breeders Expect?"

The objective of this workshop is to familiarize plant breeders and other interested parties on the ramifications of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol on germplasm exchange.

The art and science of plant breeding, responding to consumer preference and environmental challenges, requires access to diverse germplasm from around the world. However, the policy landscape governing access to and benefit sharing from the use of genetic resources is increasingly complex. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and intellectual property agreements on plant variety protection and patents intersect and are giving rise to new norms of access and terms for benefit sharing from the use of genetic resources. The impact of these agreements on the collection, dissemination and use of germplasm will be discussed.  Royalties and non-monetary benefit sharing approaches will be considered as well as challenges for future germplasm collection and use.