CGC Chairs Web ConferenceOctober 26, 2011

Karen A. Williams Ned Garvey

Plant Exchange OfficeNational Germplasm Resources Lab

Beltsville, Maryland

Karen.Williams@ars.usda.govEdward.Garvey@ars.usda.gov

The NPGS Plant Exploration/ExchangeProgram

Role of the CGCs

“Identify gaps in U.S. collections and develop proposals to fill these gaps through exchange and collaborative collecting trips.”

BeetMorocco 2010

The NPGS Plant Exploration/Exchange Program

Purpose: To fill gaps in the NPGS collections

Administration: Plant Exchange Office (PEO), National Germplasm Resources Lab

Funding: $125,000 annually

Helianthus simulansLouisiana 2010

Plant exploration: field collection of samples of landraces and wild species not already conserved in genebanks

Plant exchange: visits to foreign germplasm collections to assess collections and arrange for exchange

Exploration vs. Exchange

John Innes Center, U.K.

Wild potato, U.S.

Proposals

• accepted yearly

• separate guidelines for exploration and

exchange proposals – sent to CGCs in January

• endorsement by CGC and crop curator required

• pre-proposals for foreign explorations

requested in April

• deadline is in July every year

• email submission encouraged

NPGS Plant Explorations - 2011

Camelina Georgia

Small fruits (exchange) Canada

Fruits and nuts Albania

Apple United States

Bean United States

Sunflower United States

Johnsongrass United States

Ash United States

Herbaceous ornamentals United States

Small fruits and mint United States

Potato United States

PEOPEO Assistance with Proposals Assistance with Proposals

• Contact us before developing a proposal

• We can offer advice on which countries are accessible for exploration

• PEO has contacts in many countries

• Contact us with germplasm needs even if you are not developing a proposal

Access to Plant Genetic ResourcesAccess to Plant Genetic Resourcesfor International Explorationsfor International Explorations

• prior informed consent (PIC) obtained from national authorities in all countries that are parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• Includes agreement on the sharing of benefits• The SMTA of the International Treaty may be used

to specify terms of access• contacting national authorities managed by the

Plant Exchange Office• it is not possible to obtain PIC in many countries

Benefit Sharing Associated with NPGS Plant Explorations

• associated with most foreign explorations• non-monetary “in-kind” benefits (training,

equipment purchase, increase projects, etc.)• increases the capacity of host country

to conserve PGR• determined in close consultation with host country partners• examples of benefit sharing – training, regeneration of collected materials,

equipment purchases

The future of Access forInternational Plant

Explorations• Use of SMTA may be more common (used to provide access to germplasm on two NPGS explorations and one exchange trip thus far)

• Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization -- a legally-binding agreement developed by the Parties to the CBD International Regime for Access and Benefit Sharing

Thank you!