17 Jul 2006
USDA patents microbes to fight wheat fungus

Let me see if I get this: they discovered these living organisms. They didn't engineer them, they were selected from a range of related critters. And they didn't patent the fermentation process used to produce them - according to the article they patented the creatures themselves.

I've never heard of any court upholding a patent on a living creature discovered in nature: they've upheld GMO patents (which I still feel are wrong), but not a natural variety. These patents should be tossed at the first challenge.

Peoria, Ill. (ARS) - Four yeasts and three bacteria that live on flowering wheat heads, but cause no harm there, have been patented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as biological control agents in the fight against Fusarium head blight (FHB).

(link) [The Prairie Star]

11:28 /Copywrongs | 1 comment | permanent link