II.A.  POLICY FOR UTILIZATION OF OAT GERMPLASM
IN THE INTERNATIONAL OAT NURSERY
DISTRIBUTED BY THE QUAKER OATS COMPANY
AND COOPERATING OAT IMPROVEMENT AGENCIES

(Revised December 1995)

In recent years, world-wide attention has focused on two issues of critical importance to plant breeders and geneticists:  (1) germplasm collection and use, and (2) breeders' rights. Plant patents, plant variety protection, and breeders’ rights now, more than ever before, (a) influence germplasm exchange among plant breeders, and (b) determine the legally-permitted use of one person's breeding stocks or selections by another worker.  The unauthorized use of another person's germplasm is morally and, in many cases, legally improper.  The challenge is to acknowledge and comply with the rights afforded the breeder while fostering germplasm exchange among workers.  Exchange of materials proceeds much more openly if the participants know that their collaborators have agreed to an accepted code of ethical behavior.

In June 1994, members attending the American Oat Workers Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, ratified an OAT WORKERS CODE OF ETHICS FOR GERMPLAM EXCHANGE.  The incentive for developing a code of ethics for oat germplasm exchange arose from the concern that breeding selections entered in regional performance trials by many different breeders should be used in ethical and legally-proper ways.  This same understanding and agreed-upon behavior will also foster exchange of germplasm directly between two workers for use as breeding stocks. This document was presented for initial consideration by the 5^th International Oat Workers Conference in Saskatoon, SK, in 1996 and will be on the agenda for final approval at the 6^th International Oat Workers Conference near Christchurch, NZ, in November 2000.

Cooperators need to be aware that starting with the 1996 Quaker International Oat Nursery, each cooperator -- to receive a set of the Quaker Nursery seed -- was asked to sign the OAT WORKERS CODE OF ETHICS FOR GERMPLASM EXCHANGE thereby agreeing to follow all policies set forth in the code.  Two copies of the “Code” were sent to each cooperator.  One copy was to be signed and returned immediately to:

Dr. Milton E. McDaniel
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
Texas A & M University
College Station, Texas, USA, 77843

The second copy was for the cooperator’s file.

Not all cooperators signed and returned the “Code”, so Dr. McDaniel again solicited participation prior to distribution of seed of the 1997 Quaker Nursery.  We encourage all cooperators to sign the “Code” so that they can continue to receive the Quaker Nursery.  Signed copies of the "Code" should now be sent to Dr. Barnett.  This “Code” will encourage the continued exchange of oat germplasm by recognizing the property rights afforded developers/ owners of germplasm materials and by codifying the obligations of persons receiving unreleased oat germplasm.