In a remarkable turn of events, the government of the United States of America recalled pre-millenial times when it did its job and stood up to corporations who went over the line and acted destructively toward the American citizen:
NEW YORK – July 24, 2007 -- 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.
In other news, Jon W. Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, has tendered his resignation effective immediately. Mr. Dudas cited the need to spend more time with his family in his resignation, noting that pissing off the world's largest agribusiness firm had nothing to do with his leaving DC and moving to the Kaczynski cabin in Montana.
(okay, I made up the whole last paragraph. Not like it won't be true by next week though.)
4 comments:
Now if only Bush and Cheney would like to spend more time with their families... we could then get on with our lives.
Sorry- had to say that.
Wow, what a story. And frankly, I loved your last paragraph!
You last paragraph is probably closer to fact than fiction.
I used to work for an activist group that in part lobbied for small farmers.
We were involved in a case involving Monsanto in regard to exactly what you're talking about.
They sued a farmer because his crops tested "positive," and contained some of the modified DNA on which Monsanto held a patent.
He didn't use their seed however, but a neighboring farmer did, and there was a little bit of "cross pollination" going on.
Didn't matter, he was in violation and must be dealt with swiftly and severely.
He was forced to sell his farm and file for bankruptcy to defend himself. At the end, after they ruined the man, Monsanto dropped the case.
Sweet, sweet, sweet Monsanto.
fran frankly, it has been so long since I saw an instance where the government stood up for us. Remember when the US government imprimatur meant something?
Dr. MvM me too. me too. And since we're talking about them, why the f*** does PBS accept so much money from ADM? (Answer: so they won't say nasty things about them on Frontline et. al.)
PoP I am waiting for it. Imagine the balls it takes to get caught doing your job in this administration.
Fairlane, maybe you are better informed than I but isn't it true that these genetically modified crops hinder so-called 'heritage seeds' from reproducing naturally?
I thought that years ago there were complaints in Mexico because Mexican crops were being cross-pollinated with genetically modified crops grown in America whose pollen was traveling across the border.
The subject is so vast and in the future may be considered far more important than it is today. (For instance, I wonder if the bee crisis is related).
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