UK Act of Parliament 1964 United Kingdom

Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964

An Act to provide for the granting of proprietary rights to persons who breed or discover plant varieties and for the issue of compulsory licences in respect thereof; to establish a tribunal to hear appeals and other proceedings relating to the rights, and to exclude certain agreements relating to the …

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
APHA
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 5 of 9 obligations carry a fine up to £1,000. 3 carry different penalties and 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person7 Director or Officer1 Occupier1

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Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
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Occupier — also bound by 235 other Acts
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What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

Plant Breeders’ Rights

3 of 16 sections shown
s.005 Requirement to use registered names on sale of reproductive material. Prosecution
  • Sell plant reproductive material under the wrong nameAny Person

Fine up to £1,000

s.006 Maintenance of reproductive material. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Maintain ability to supply reproductive material and provide inspection accessAny Person
s.013 False representations as to rights and false information. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Falsely claim plant rights or give false informationAny Person

Fine up to £1,000

13 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.001 Grant of plant breeders’ rights. (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Conditions for grant of rights. (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Period for which rights are exercisable. (opens in a new tab)
s.004 The nature of the rights. (opens in a new tab)
s.005 Naming of protected plant varieties. (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Compulsory licences. (opens in a new tab)
s.008 †Exclusion from Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956. (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Regulations, as to applications, fees, (opens in a new tab)
s.010 The Tribunal. (opens in a new tab)
s.011 The Plant Variety Rights Office. (opens in a new tab)
s.012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (opens in a new tab)
s.014 Application of Part I to the Crown. (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Interpretation of Part I. (opens in a new tab)
Part 2

Seeds and Seed Potatoes

3 of 13 sections shown
s.016 Seeds regulations. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Make false seed statement or breach seed regulationsAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.025 Powers of entry. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Fail to provide required sales statementAny Person

Fine up to £1,000

s.027 Tampering with samples. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Tamper with seed samplesAny Person
10 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.017 Civil liabilities of sellers of seeds. (opens in a new tab)
s.018 Defences in proceedings for offences against seeds regulations. (opens in a new tab)
s.019 Presumption as respects statutory statements under seeds regulations. (opens in a new tab)
s.020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (opens in a new tab)
s.024 Official testing stations and certificates of test. (opens in a new tab)
s.026 Use of samples in criminal proceedings. (opens in a new tab)
s.028 Institution of criminal proceedings. (opens in a new tab)
s.029 Application of Part II to seed potatoes , other propagating material and planting material. (opens in a new tab)
s.030 Interpretation of Part II. (opens in a new tab)
s.031 †Repeals and consequential amendment. (opens in a new tab)
Part 3

Control of Imports and Prevention of Cross-Pollination

1 of 2 sections shown
s.033 Measures to prevent injurious cross-pollination affecting crops of seeds. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Fail to comply with notice to prevent injurious cross-pollinationOccupier

Fine up to £1,000

1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.032 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (opens in a new tab)
Part 4

General

1 of 8 sections shown
s.035 General provisions as to offences. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Consent or connive in company offence under seeds legislationDirector or Officer
7 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.034 The gazette. (opens in a new tab)
s.036 Supplemental provisions as to regulations. (opens in a new tab)
s.037 Departmental expenses and payments into Exchequer. (opens in a new tab)
s.038 Interpretation. (opens in a new tab)
s.039 Extension of Act to Northern Ireland. (opens in a new tab)
s.040 Extension of Act to Isle of Man and Channel Islands. (opens in a new tab)
s.041 Short title and commencement. (opens in a new tab)
Schedules

Schedules

1 of 21 shown
s.sch001 (1) If at any time the Controller is satisfied that... Prosecution
  • Breach of undertaking for plant breeders' rightsAny Person

Fine up to £1,000

20 other schedules
s.sch001 (1) An applicant for the grant of plant breeders’ rights...
s.sch001 (1) While a protective direction is in force, anything which,...
s.sch001 (1) The Controller may at any time, if in all...
s.sch002 The variety must be sufficiently uniform or homogeneous having regard...
s.sch002 The variety must be stable in its essential characteristics, that...
s.sch003 (1) If it appears to the Ministers that, in the...
s.sch003 Plant breeders’ rights shall include the exclusive right to do,...
s.sch004 (1) The Lord Chancellor shall appoint a chairman for the...
s.sch004 In the case of the temporary absence or inability to...
s.sch004 In relation to proceedings before the Tribunal in Scotland—
s.sch004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
s.sch004 (1) The Ministers shall draw up and from time to...
s.sch004 The Ministers may pay to members of the Tribunal such...
s.sch004 (1) The Ministers may appoint such officers and servants of...
s.sch004 (1) The jurisdiction of the Tribunal shall be exercised by...
s.sch004 (1) The Tribunal in exercising their statutory jurisdiction may order...
s.sch007 An application under section 33 of this Act seeking the...
s.sch007 Before deciding whether to issue a notice in accordance with...
s.sch007 The Minister shall, if requested within such time as may...
s.sch007 In deciding whether to issue a notice in accordance with...

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Grow and sell crops: seed, spraying and certification

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