About NCCPB

"We are not high-profile and are not frequently involved in large issues. But we are available to speak for commercial plant breeders' perspectives when a national or international issue develops, and we should not lose that concept"

- Jim Dodd, Presidents report 1997

This council represents the interests of its member companies in the business of plant improvement for feed, food and fiber. The purposes of NCCPB are to:

•	Promote plant breeding, plant genetic research, and related improvement disciplines as challenging and interesting careers to help ensure a continuing supply of trained scientists. This need is especially true today as numerous technologies are expanding their impact on what have been traditional breeding processes.

•	We foster cooperation and mutual assistance with public research agencies.

•	We recognize individual scientific achievements in the field of plant and seed improvement.

•	We promote ongoing development of high standards of professional and business ethics among those concerned with plant breeding and genetic research.

•	And we support systems of intellectual property protection for private developer and plant improvements on a worldwide basis.

Our role is especially important as we face challenges of providing adequate and more nutritious food in light of the world's population growth, its distribution of affluence, the impact of technology, and the world's increasingly dynamic agricultural environment.

Plant Breeding is no longer only the application of classic genetic principles to the improvement of plants. What was once an activity of just a handful of functions is now a complex process in the hands of as many as 20 or more integrated functions who guide the design, development and introduction of seed products. As we continue our mission to provide food and fiber to the world, our hope is that we broaden our definition of plant breeding, which must also be reflected in the membership in this council.

If you are in the business of this broader definition of plant breeding, you are encouraged to contact Ann Jorss at the ASTA office in Virginia, at 703-837-8140, or ajorss@amseed.org , at any time for further information on membership of NCCPB. Or if you wish to join this organization, please fill out the membership application and send to Ann Jorss, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 650, Alexandria, VA 22314.