Patent Office smacks Monsanto down:
The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has rejected four key Monsanto patents related to genetically modified crops that PUBPAT challenged last year because the agricultural giant is using them to harass, intimidate, sue – and in some cases literally bankrupt – American farmers. In its Office Actions rejecting each of the patents, the USPTO held that evidence submitted by PUBPAT, in addition to other prior art located by the Patent Office’s Examiners, showed that Monsanto was not entitled to any of the patents.
Monsanto has filed dozens of patent infringement lawsuits asserting the four challenged patents against American farmers, many of whom are unable to hire adequate representation to defend themselves in court. The crime these farmers are accused of is nothing more than saving seed from one year’s crop to replant the following year, something farmers have done since the beginning of time. …
So say we all.
as someone with a degree in agriculture…..im loving your posts.
welcome to the frog pond
It’s about damn time. Neither the copyright nor the patent system was designed to handle self-reproducing “inventions” that can contaminate neighboring conspecific crops with their pollen. Patents like this should not be allowed in the first place, but it’s good to see them being struck down for other reasons in the meantime.
Wonderful news. I couldn’t tell from the article whether this ends all of Monsanto’s harassment, or just for specific phony patents. Any chance that PUBPAT will help affected growers sue Monsanto’s ass?
I’ve thought for a long time that if the Dems want to win back farmers and growers, they’d get a lot of mileage out of an attempt to ban plant patents altogether. They are nothing short of a scam.
It couldn’t happen to a more evil corporation.
Somebody needs to start a blog or wiki detailing how to live one’s life Monsanto-free. I don’t know all the ins and outs of where their tendrils extend, but I have given up on milk with rBGH in it (and gotten better-tasting milk as a result), am buying more organic (which is keeping money out of Monsanto’s pockets because they can’t make money off of it) and can’t think of a time when I ever used Roundup (I have nothing against dandelions and crabgrass is a small price to pay). What else?
Could it be? A rare glimmer of sanity during this criminal regime? Profiting and prosecuting the ancient act of saving seed is evil.
And I talked to a “sympathetic scientist” about this at a trade conference one time, and was just appalled. He actually tried defending the practice by saying that I wouldn’t want someone making money off my invention. I remember saying to myself, Seed??? Get the eff outta here! I said to him: “Gee, great way to control people by doing so–or is that the intention?” My question was never answered.
There are some serious wackjobs that walk among us.
I know my comments will probably not be welcome on this blog, but having worked for over 15 years in the plant biotechnology business I felt the need to speak out. At the get go, let me say that I have no love for Monsanto. They have always behaved in an arrogant manner, and that perpetuated a toxic environment for the industry for years.
I have no knowledge of the patent details, but I do know that if a farmer planted genetically modified seed, he (or she) made an agreement with the company that sold them, not to brownbag (hold over a season) seed. This is similar to the software industry. When you install software you make an agreement not to hack it and not to copy it. Basically, this is theft, plain and simple. There is nothing stopping farmers from growing varieties that have no restrictions for brown bagging, there are lots of them available.
The plant biotech industry has been maligned for a long time and its really a shame. The technology works well, its safe and there is an huge opportunity to really help those less fortunate than us. Yes, I know that the companies that make products are not non profits but they are more interested in doing outreach, than say, the drug companies, cause they are trying to get more accepted. Any if you don’t believe me check out this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_rice
Stooleo
well, as someone that doesn’t have much of a pulse on this issue, I appreciate hearing a variety of views with links that allow me to do some research on my own.