Melbourne, Australia, was the site of the Associated International Group of Nurseries (AIGN®) 2023 annual meeting. Hosted by member ANFIC Limited, the conference featured detailed reviews of the company’s current breeding projects, joint ventures, and new opportunities.
The AIGN Management Team L-R: Kevin Brandt, Dominique Thèvenon, Dr. Gavin Porter, Lynnell Brandt, John Morton.
AIGN CEO Dr. Gavin Porter stated, “AIGN is entering its 35th year as the largest globally-focused commercialization and IP management company of its kind. Through our members and the many partners we collaborate with in our territories, we have the resources and capability to globally manage new variety programs on a scale that will become the commercialization model of the future.”
Special guests over the course of the 4-day meeting included representatives from a Turkish Pear breeding program who gave an impressive presentation on their current projects, which features fireblight-resistant pear selections. AIGN also welcomed the board of directors and officers from long-time associate Prevar to receive updates about the latest products undergoing tests in their prolific breeding programs. Prevar, based in New Zealand, has 14 licensed varieties and owns more than 170 trademarks around the world. AIGN is the assignee for exclusive propagation rights for their cultivars.
The directors and representatives from the 11 member companies also spent time in the field, visiting a packing facility where they examined results from the recent Apple, Pear, and Plum harvests, tasting and assessing samples from 42 cultivars currently in second and third-stage evaluation. Later, they visited test orchards in the Goulburn Valley to review rootstock performance and the effectiveness of various tree training systems. The members and directors departed at the end of the week with renewed focus and looking forward to the 2024 conference currently scheduled for Hastings, New Zealand.
For more information:
Lynnell Brandt
AIGN
Email: lynnell@aign.org