Chapter 26 Protection Fees
Guo Yang could understand Director Su Guozhou's feelings.
Breeding is a long process, and traditional hybrid breeding is even more so.
Moreover, the approval process for new seed varieties in this era is extremely strict.
The variety approval process begins with the applicant submitting an application for new variety testing, along with information on the new variety's origin, breeding process, basic traits, cultivation tips, and non-GMO certification or guarantee.
Then, the seed management department will organize and carry out the certification test, including at least 1 year of preliminary test, 2 years of regional test and 1 year of production test, with a total time of no less than 4 years.
Coupled with the time it takes to select and breed new varieties, it often takes more than ten years for a new crop variety to go from initial screening to market promotion.
Although it is slow, the new seed varieties approved at this time have excellent traits and lasting market vitality. A small number of varieties are still active in the market even after more than ten years.
Unlike more than a decade later, the approval of new varieties has become more relaxed, and sometimes more than 500 corn varieties are approved in a year.
Among these seeds, there are also some original seeds that are the result of years or even decades of hard work by scientific researchers, but there are more seeds that are high imitations or even "copycats".
Su Guozhou and others spent more than ten years to cultivate the alfalfa seeds in 1997, which were named "Huamu No. 1".
This variety is early maturing, drought-resistant, barren-resistant, cold-resistant, and salt-alkali-resistant. It grows rapidly, has strong regeneration ability, is rich in nutrients, and is loved by livestock.
The disadvantages are that its resistance to downy mildew and lodging is average.
In terms of variety characteristics, this is already a very excellent alfalfa variety.
However, even this variety is still in the process of production testing for variety approval.
At this time, Guo Yang claimed that he had an approved alfalfa variety with better characteristics.
How could Su Guozhou believe this? How could he dare to believe it?
From Guo Yang's perspective, this question is not easy for him to answer.
Super alfalfa seeds are given in a gift package, and the variety approval process and certification are also completed by the seed store.
But does he need an answer?
"Director Su, I understand your feelings, but how this breed was bred is not important for today's meeting."
"It doesn't matter if you don't believe in its characteristics. As an investor, I use all my own money to improve the saline-alkali land. I am willing to take this risk."
"Besides, I came to Beijing and the Ministry of Agriculture to seek help, not to discuss the feasibility of the project or to be questioned."
"Therefore, I will definitely invest in this project."
Hearing Guo Yang's resounding answer, Su Guozhou was choked for a moment.
Yes, he is the investor.
What can he do if others are willing to take the risk? Even if others want to use fake seeds, what can he do? Impotent rage?
Su Guozhou looked at Minister Lin helplessly.
Minister Lin pondered for a moment and said, "Since Mr. Guo has decided to do this project, each department should also talk about the current relevant policies and situations. Those who have opinions can also put forward them."
After a short silence in the conference room, a person from the Crop Production Department spoke up, "I wonder if Mr. Guo has any idea of growing crops. After systematic engineering treatment of saline-alkali land, crops can be grown. And now there are some results in breeding salt-alkali tolerant rice and wheat."
"In recent years, the grain planting area and output have been declining year by year, and the pressure on food security is very high. The ministry is now studying the relevant subsidy policy, which is expected to be introduced soon."
Of course Guo Yang was familiar with the food subsidy policy. He had applied for it frequently in his previous life. The subsidy standards in different provinces were mostly different.
In general, with the rapid development of mechanization, planting costs have decreased, and it is profitable to grow grain with subsidies.
But this was not part of his plan; his main goal was to accumulate natural energy by improving saline-alkali land.
He also didn't trust the current salt-tolerant grain varieties. Guo Yang shook his head and said, "There is no plan to grow grain for the time being. My main plan is to grow forage grass, and then do forage grass breeding and seed production, forage grass planting, silage processing, feed processing, etc. This is also contributing to the country's food security."
Hearing this, the head of the Crop Production Department nodded expressionlessly, and it seemed that he was somewhat unhappy.
However, the Animal Husbandry Department echoed: "Indeed, judging from the current development trend of the domestic feed industry and the development goals of grain production, my country will still be short of feed grain resources in the next few years. There will be a large gap in the demand for energy feed and protein feed, the self-sufficiency rate is low, and it is heavily dependent on imports."
"Moreover, our country lacks high-quality forage resources, and grassland forage sometimes cannot even meet the needs of pastoral farming."
"So Mr. Guo's project can be said to be timely for the development of my country's animal husbandry. Our Animal Husbandry Department will definitely give strong support, and the relevant expert technical service team can be established at any time."
Hearing this, Guo Yang smiled knowingly.
Subsequently, the Department of Industrial Policy and Regulation and the Department of Agricultural Mechanization Management also expressed their opinions.
But they are all repetitive words, without even verbal support.
Guo Yang also became more and more confused.
Logically speaking, since Minister Lin convened everyone to organize this meeting, he would definitely come up with something no matter what.
However, judging from the statements of several departments, it is still unclear where the Ministry of Agriculture will provide support.
Is it only the expert technical team of the Animal Husbandry Department?
That would be really boring.
The expert technical team will not be stationed permanently, and their occasional visits will not only have limited effect, but will also invisibly increase the company's reception costs.
As he listened, Guo Yang saw the short-haired girl who was taking notes again.
In just a moment, he suddenly realized that the girl was Chen Yue.
No wonder the voice just now felt a little familiar.
She is pretty, but she is quite different from the image of a girl with long flowing hair that he imagined. It is not his type.
But now I can only look at the beauty out of boredom, otherwise I will have to watch a group of old men talking nonsense.
Minister Lin was sitting opposite Guo Yang. He noticed when Guo Yang started to lose his concentration and start stealing glances at the beautiful girl.
If Guo Yang was from a functional department, he would have been scolding someone by now.
But Guo Yang was invited by him to attend the meeting, and his purpose was made clear when he met Director Zhang.
He, Guo Yang, came here to seek help from the Ministry of Agriculture!
Since you want help, I will help you!
It depends on whether you can catch it.
When everyone had finished speaking, Minister Lin knocked on the table and said to Guo Yang:
"Mr. Guo, after listening to the introductions from the various functional departments, you now have a basic understanding of our situation, right?"
Guo Yang nodded, it’s just that he has no money!
"The ministry does have insufficient budget, so we may not be able to provide any financial help for now, but there will be support policies."
In Guo Yang's expectant eyes, Minister Lin continued:
"The planning and design work of the '20 mu saline-alkali land improvement project' can be handed over to the planning and design institute directly under the ministry. Their professionalism in this field is unquestionable in China."
What do you mean?
Guo Yang thought about it carefully in his mind before he reacted.
Does that mean I still have to pay you some money?
But he was happy to pay the money.
(End of this chapter)