Everyone pays a price when seed patent holders stifle innovation

The result is that no one outside of the big companies, not even the US government, knows which are the most important crops for the economy, many of which are grown from certified seeds, which may be vulnerable to pests and diseases. Over the years, reproductive plants they have been calling in examining the genetics of these plants and the plants they grow; To date, no such studies have been conducted.

Change of direction

But the May 2026 Justice Department ruling says Seed patents are hindering the competitiveness of agriculture and research it shows that the tides can turn.

In 2023, a multinational agrochemical company Corteva sued the inventor of genetic engineering, Inarifor infringing its patents, among other things, by taking samples of Corteva’s licensed seeds from public libraries and analyzing their genetics.

Although the Justice Department did not side with any of the companies, the court’s ruling said that companies should not prevent people from taking genetically engineered products as a way to protect themselves.

In particular, a departmental courts originated from the Antitrust Division not the Civil Division, which usually handles technical matters. This difference shows that the government considers that the extension of patent rights is an unacceptable way for a company to exclude other companies from participating in the competition.

The case is still ongoing. But if the judge agrees, his decision will be the next step. At the beginning, the competitors can understand the strengths and weaknesses of the types of seeds in the market and find ways to improve these skills, which is the type of work that the patent system is designed to encourage.

More competition in the market would provide a necessary check on grain prices, reducing the burden on American farmers and, by extension, taxpayers. Finally, researchers can conduct the studies needed to begin reconstructing the kind of genetic information that, throughout human history, has been the same — an insurance policy that benefits us all.

Julie Dawson and Professor of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison; Kiki Hubbard is a Research Fellow at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Paulina Jenney and Research Coordinator, Urban and Regional Food System Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison

This article was reprinted from Discussion under a Creative Commons license. Read the book the first story.