Plants, Patents, and Seed Innovation in the Agricultural Industry

[摘要] This report offers an overview of the availability of intellectual property rights for plants, focusing upon the seed industry. It initially offers an introduction to seed innovation. The report then reviews the three intellectual property regimes applicable to plant innovation: utility patents, plant patents and plant variety protection certificates. It then details a 2001 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, J.E.M. Ag Supply, Inc. v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., which held that sexually reproducing plants may be subject to utility patents.

[发布日期] 2002-09-13 [发布机构] Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

[关键词] Intellectual property;Agribusiness;Agricultural innovations