AIGN® Directors and Members Gather in North America for 2026 AGM

From May 22–28, 2026, AIGN® directors, members and supporting staff from around the world convened for a week of orchard tours, research visits, and governance meetings spanning Toronto, Canada; New York State; and Washington State. The gathering brought together representatives from 12 countries, reflecting the global scope and collaborative spirit of the AIGN® network.

Participants included delegates from Australia, France, the United States, New Zealand, China, Belgium, Argentina, India, South Korea, South Africa, Türkiye, and Chile. Attendees represented a broad range of intellectual property managers, including ANFIC, Brandt’s Fruit Trees, SVM, NZFTC, René Nicolai n.v., Vivero Confluencia S.A., Seven Star Fruits Pvt. Ltd, Star Fruits, KJ Orchards, TopFruit, Potamia Fruit Breeding, and Viveros Requinoa.

The week opened with orchard tours in upstate New York, hosted in partnership with Cornell University, offering members firsthand insight into regional production systems and research priorities.

Members then traveled to Ontario for a visit to the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, where they explored ongoing breeding and evaluation work and discussed opportunities for future collaboration.

The group reconvened in Wenatchee, Washington, where the AGM officially commenced. Directors were nominated, officers were confirmed, and the organization reviewed strategic priorities and actions to be accomplished for the coming year. Officers for the 2026-2027 year are Gavin Porter (CEO), John Morton (COO), Kevin Brandt (CIO), Dominique Thévenon (Executive Secretary) and Lynnell Brandt (Chairman). While in Wenatchee, members also toured Stemilt Fruit Packers, including an in‑depth look at their pear test block and packing operations.

The meetings than took place and were concluded in Yakima, Washington, where discussions centered on company governance, general management, Intellectual Property matters, legal activities and emerging opportunities across the global network.

The location for next year’s gathering has not yet been determined, but members are already looking forward to the next opportunity to come together, share insights, and continue strengthening the AIGN® partnership.

AIGN® Directors (Front Row – left to right) Kevin Brandt (CIO), Tyler Brandt, Yasemin Evrenosoğlu, Lynnell Brandt (Chairman), Hee Jeung Kim, Aashish Barwale, Dominique Thévenon (Back Row – left to right) Juan Martin Rosauer, Gavin Porter (CEO), John Morton (COO), Pierre-Antoine Robin, Florent Geerdens, Michael Breitmeyer