REGISTRATION NEWS
PILOT REGISTRATION ARBORICULTURAL PRODUCTS
The Board for Arboricultural products (Anthos and LTO Vakgroep Bomen en Vaste Planten), Stichting Beurshal, FloraHolland, PPO and VKC have decided to start registration of a number of arboricultural products as of 1 November 2011. Perennials and climbing plants have been chosen for this pilot. When doing this registration for arboricultural products takes place at one central spot through a uniform system. Doing so enables the Netherlands to keep its prominent position and develop this further as an important production country and trade centre of arboricultural and floricultural products. This position is very important for the (commercial) position of thise sectors. Central registration offers several advantages:
One system within the sector for reporting, describe, photograph and test (also important for juridical tests):
One to one relation of registration and physical product;
Central link with PlantScope: the digital platform for arboricultural and floricultural products;
One overview of products which are traded in/through the Netherlands.
As from November 1 before coding with e.g. a VARB-code or VBN-code, registrationtakes place by VKC. Before the products are entered in the system these have to be officially registered by VKC. For all arboricultural products which are traded through FloraHolland, this system has already been working for some time.
Because many arboriculturists are not known with VKC registration, the various organisations have decided to perform a pilot during a year. During and after the pilot the way of working is evaluated and if necessary procedures will be adjusted. The procedure has the following steps:
Name check: A registration always begins with a name check of the product. The procedure also mentions a number of important places where you can check the name beforehand yourself.
Registration: The various aspects which are important for a registration, such as the registration form, are discussed. A manual has been placed on the VKC website.
Images: VKC makes taxonomical images, on which characteristics of the product are shown, which are also described. VKC pursues true colours for 98%. Images have become very important due to the development of electronic trading. The taxonomical images are per definition not of a commercial character, but can be edited for this purpose.
Publication: VKC registrations are entered in the database PlantScope.
Delivery addresses: the products have to be registered at VKC, Sotaweg 25, Roelofarendsveen in the Variety Center where also research is done for Dutch and European growers rights. It is possible to deliver plants at a number of collecting spots, from where transport to VKC is taken care of on a regular basis.
The registration process normally takes three days maximum.
Coding: VKC is not the coding organisation. Information will be passed on to Stichting Beurshal and VBN-FloraHolland.
VKC EXCURSION TO ARBORETUM "VON GIMBORN"
Max von Gimborn, a rich German tradesman who lived in the Netherlands, bought a plot of land with sandy soils in 1924, because apparently the heavy clay on which he had started his conifer collection, was not suitable for this culture. In 1964 Mr. Von Gimborn passed away and the arboretum was handed over to Utrecht University. Nowadays it comes under a foundation, which tries to manage this largest arboretum in the Netherlands, commercially. VKC taxonomist Wilbert Hetterscheid, who nowadays runs this wonderful garden, showed the personnel of VKC round in this beautiful park with special old trees and conifers.
PHOTOGRAPHY FOR ROYAL BRANCH ORGANISATION FOR FLOWER BULB SECTOR AND COUNCIL FOR PLANT VARIETIES STARTS AGAIN
Seasonally VKC makes photos of bulbous crops. Last year VKC started to cooperate with the Royal Branch organisation for the Flower Bulb sector. Also varieties planted for breeders' rights are involved. The products are picked and transported by research workers of the Royal Branch organisation for the Flower Bulb sector (KAVB) and Netherlands'Inspection Service for Horticulture (Naktuinbouw). At this moment Hyacinth and Narcissus have been photographed and tulip photography is just starting. As a great number of products must be registered in a short period of time and also the normal registration work has to be carried out, the work as to be organised in a military way.
VKC INVOLVED IN PROJECT "INTEGRAL APPROACH PRODUCTCODES"
In 1986 VKC started registration activities. The Dutch Flower Auctions have started cooperation under the name VBN. Thus one uniform coding system was required, the VBN code. To also link uniform denomination to this code, as from that moment the products had to be screened, after which the identity was determined in image and word. Now, 25 years later, a uniform product code is still required, because besides the VBN code there are also bar codes, varb codes, fust codes etc. A project group with participants from Florecom, FloraHolland and VKC discuss the requirements for a different way of coding and how large the impact of the present coding system in e.g. FTE and or euros. Each link in the chain is approached. VKC was requested to approach the breeders and thus a group of 15 breeders got their hands on the problem. Unanimously the desire for more freedom in the denomination which goes with the code, is stated, as to create a good position for the re-use of names. Also the breeders would like to see that their commercial names, mark names do not lose vigour (e.g. a red rose).
Bert Buis, project leader, opens the meeting
RHIPSALIS RESEARCH (CONTINUED)
During the past winter a part of the collection has flowered and fruited. Detailed images have been made, which are used for determination. Naktuinbouw made a protocol according to which the collection will now be described. The collection which was sorted nder number, is now ranged on varietiy, as indicated by the senders. Here it becomes clear that the varieties delivered under the same name, do differ. The reason for which this research was started - to differentiate material under the same name in trade - becomes clear here.
