Representation of the seed sector
One of the Gnis missions is to stimulate and represent the seed sector working with the professionals of the sector on one hand and the French public authorities on the other. Our sector is directly involved in some of the most exciting contemporary issues: biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, patentability of living organisms, biotechnology and GMOs ...
For that reason, the Gnis is constantly communicating the work of the seed sector's professionals to the public, journalists and all parties which are interested in. The Gnis also carries out technical and communication actions on the international stage.
Inter-professional dialogue
The GNIS is organized in 8 specialized sections composed of representatives from all professions related to: plant breeders, seed producers, seed growers, seed distributors, farmers and other interested parties.
This specialization has several advantages. The section members have expert knowledge of the realities of their speciality. They strive to propose reasoned rules adapted to actual seed production conditions. These propositions from Gnis sections are submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture for official approval.
Overall coordination and coherence between sections is assured by an administrative board, comprising in particular the section chairs and a representative of the French Ministry of Agriculture.
The Gnis promotes the flow of information between every professionals, and provides a framework for discussion, particularly between seed growers and producers.
Standing up for the seed sector
The seed sector has to work under numerous rules and regulations, some of which are not necessarily well adapted to the realities of the sector.
One of the Gnis missions is to work with European and French legislators to take into account the needs of the sector when making regulations.
The Gnis participates actively in some of the great debates of interest to a wide public: biotechnology and GMOs, biodiversity, intellectual property of plant varieties and patents, phytosanitary protection and the environment.