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I don’t think it is ever a case that someone can patent the only crop you can grow. Parents are not issued for such broad categories. You cannot patent corn or
by xyzzyz 4y ago
I don’t think it is ever a case that someone can patent the only crop you can grow. Parents are not issued for such broad categories. You cannot patent corn or potatoes as a whole. What is patentable is a specific variety of corn that you develop anew. This means that you can always grow the traditional varieties that are not (and cannot be) patented. If a seller of patented variety quadruples seed price, you can just go back to these if patented variety is not worth the extra cost.
- sethammons 4y agoExcept that your neighbor bought into the patented crop and nature pollinated your crops, cross contaminating your fields and placing you into patent infringement. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-monsanto-organic-lawsuit/organic-growers-lose-decision-in-suit-versus-monsanto-over-seeds-idUSBRE9590ZD20130610 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-monsanto-organic-lawsuit/...
- xyzzyz 4y agoNobody has ever been sued for accidental cross contamination this, and Monsanto explicitly says that it will never sue anyone for this.
- sethammons 4y ago> In its ruling Monday, the appellate court said the organic growers must rely on Monsanto assurances on the company’s website that it will not sue them so long as the mix is very slight That is about as good as "trust us." If it is unclear, that is a really bad position legally.
- xyzzyz 4y agoIn theory, maybe, but in practice nobody (in particular, no serious, non-hobby farmers) cares about it other than activists who hate Monsanto. Outside of activist groups and NGOs, this is simply a non-issue.
- nostromo123 4y agoBig corporation with shady past promises us nicely that they will not sue...thanks, I'll pass!