The Minister of Agriculture, Water, Livestock, and Fisheries, Miguel Barrachina, has defended the need for a "clear and agile" community regulation that favors the incorporation of new plant varieties into agricultural holdings and allows scientific advances to be applied to improving production, "while maintaining safety guarantees".
Barrachina made these statements at the closing of the second edition of the ANOVE Awards for Innovation, promoted by the National Association of Plant Breeders and held at the Oceanogràfic de València, where he highlighted the role of seed companies and research teams in the development of varieties better adapted to the sector's needs, according to what the Generalitat said in a statement.
The regional official stressed that farmers "need varieties that better resist pests, withstand adverse climatic conditions and make it possible to obtain quality harvests with lower production costs". "Behind each new variety there are years of research, trials and investments that deserve to be recognized," he emphasized.
In this context, the conseller referred to the new European regulation on genomic techniques, whose general entry into force is expected for July 2028. This regulation establishes a specific framework for certain plant-breeding tools and still requires the development of additional provisions to make its application effective.
"Science is offering new tools to improve our crops. Europe must establish clear rules so that those advances can reach the field without unnecessary administrative delays and with all guarantees," he said.
Barrachina also highlighted the work of the Valencian Institute for Agricultural Research (IVIA), integrated in ANOVE, in the genetic improvement and obtaining of new varieties of citrus fruits, fruit trees, rice and vegetables, with the aim of achieving more productive crops and with greater capacity to adapt to pests and extreme climatic phenomena.
During the ceremony, the councillor presented the Experience Award to Javier Bernabéu and Julián Arnedo, with which their careers in the field of seeds and plant breeding are distinguished. Bernabéu was founder and director for three decades of Sakata Seed Ibérica, based in Alboraia (València), while Julián Arnedo is at the head of Semillas Ramiro Arnedo, a family firm specialized in the research and development of horticultural varieties.
In this second edition, the awards have also distinguished María Neira for her career in public health and food, the researcher Lluís Montoliu for his scientific and outreach contribution, the Valencian chef Ricard Camarena for his commitment to local produce and the program "Aquí la Tierra" for its work in disseminating the reality of the rural world.