Bretagne-Plants is a recognized producers' organization (PO), which gathers all the seed potato producers of Brittany. This organization has several missions:

• VARIETY BREEDING:

The potato breeding station of Bretagne plants located at Kerloï in Ploudaniel is dedicated to create new potato varieties. Present in all niches, table, salad, export or processing markets, the Kerloï teams select the varieties best suited to new market needs in order to offer them for distribution to Brittany's distributors. Bretagne Plants is a driving force in the competitiveness of the Brittany chain through its ability to develop competitive varieties. The production of seed potatoes is increasing in Brittany, representing 6280 hectares in 2019, of which 2250 hectares were planted with varieties from the Bretagne Plants breeding station. The attribution system allows future assignees (distributors) to report their needs for new varieties and, depending on the needs, the hybrids that are closest to them are given to the assignees for test trials before possible registration in the catalog.

• PRODUCTION OF IN VITRO CUTTINGS 

Bretagne Plants uses the Hanvec laboratory, renovated in 2015, for in vitro cultivation but also for experimentation of new cultivation techniques and laboratory quality controls (microbiology, serology, molecular biology). The in vitro culture allows the multiplication of potato cuttings as a service for the professionals of the sector such as breeders, distributors and producers. Since 1978, the Hanvec laboratory has been a pioneer in the use of this in vitro technique which allows to launch a mass production by decreasing the number of years necessary compared to the genealogical selection technique and to produce cuttings of very high sanitary quality.

• PROMOTION

Bretagne plants also promotes its sector and its varieties. This is achieved in various ways such as the reception of foreign delegations, the implementation of communication actions, the signing of partnership agreements with foreign countries or variety trials abroad as part of the variety creation process.

• INSPECTION AND CONTROL :

Bretagne Plants also carries out regulatory control operations for the production and certification of seed potatoes by providing its staff and laboratories to the Official Control Service (SOC). Throughout the cultivation of seed potatoes, the inspectors carry out various operations such as soil analyses before planting, inspections during cultivation and analyses of sampled batches at harvest. The result of this work leads to the elaboration of rating sheets which allow the identification of the potato seed lot and ensures the tracking of the seed in case of cultivation problem. These operations concern in particular the delivery of the official label of SOC certification and the phytosanitary certificates.

THE SOC (OFFICIAL CONTROL SERVICE)

The Official Control and Certification Service of seeds and plants is the technical service in charge of the public utility mission assigned to the interprofession of seeds and plants (SEMAE) by the State. It is the Official Control Service which is in charge of the official control of the quality and the certification of seeds and of the permission to deliver the phytosanitary passports. The following are concerned: seeds of agricultural and vegetable species, potato seedlings, vegetable and strawberry seedlings.

National Federation of Seed potato growers (FN3PT)

The National Federation of Seed Potato Growers is the seed potato growers' organization which has three regional structures, namely the North Plants Committee, Bretagne Plants, and the Center and South Committee.

In line with regional structures such as Bretagne Plants, the Federation's missions are the following:

• The production of starting material (in vitro cuttings, mini tubers);
• The economic organization of the sector;
• Variety breeding through its regional structures (COMITE NORD, BRETAGNE PLANTS, GROCEP)
• The generic promotion of the know-how and the French seeds at the national and international levels.
• The control and the certification of the seedlings by delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture;
• The improvement of production techniques and the technical support to the producers of seed potatoes.

LE SRAAL - DRAAF

The Regional Direction of Food, Agriculture and Forestry (DRAAF) plays a role of management and implementation of the policies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in terms of food, nutrition and animal and plant health.

• Coordinating the programming of animal, animal products and food controls
• Deployment of production orientation policies related to food quality and the reduction of the use of phytopharmaceutical products.
• Application of the regulation concerning the maintenance of the good sanitary state of the plants and watch about the whole regional device of surveillance.
• Participation in the control measures of intra and extra-community exchanges of animal and plant species and products. It delivers the phytosanitary certificates to the exporters.
• Realization of the control plan related to the distribution and application of phytosanitary products, as well as those related to the distribution of fertilizers and crop growing media.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (CCI)

The Chambers of Trade and Industry represent and defend the interests of its 33 000 member companies. Elorn Plants works in particular with the Morlaix Chamber of Commerce and Industry to obtain the certificates of origin (CO) required for the export of seed potatoes. The CCI's certification attests that the seed potatoes are indeed produced in Brittany.