Home
Where do patents come in?
“Many Third World countries object to patenting of seed
and of living beings. They are developing ways and model laws
to protect their crop diversity and farmers’
knowledge from corporate control. This gives me hope.”
Cecilia Oh, lawyer, Researcher for TWN
(Third World Network)
Author: Florianne Koechlin, Blueridge-Institute, Switzerland

IFOAM GMO Brochure - The facts and the fiction, from bees and carrots - 4 stories, your questions, our answers.

In former times, nobody thought of patenting plants, animals or human genes and cells. No one thought it could be possible that an animal or a human gene might ever be considered as an ‘invention’ or the ‘intellectual property’ of some large company. But in the developing age of genetic engineering, industry is under pressure to expand the patent system from lifeless materials to living beings, in order to protect their financial investment in genetic engineering.

But is it right to patent a tomato plant in the same way as a chemical or a vacuum cleaner? If life is put on the same base as a patentable commodity, if there is no longer a difference between a living being and a non-living thing, this will dramatically change our relationship to animals, to plants, to other people and to ourselves. Farmers have to pay royalties for every patented seed, for every patented hen. And also for the chickens produced by this hen, and for all further chicken generations, for as long as 20 years. A farmer planting patented GM-crops is not allowed to save seed from this harvest for the next season. Some farmers in the USA and Canada were sued by the Monsanto company for doing this. With patented seed the control is taken away from farmers, from local areas, and passes into the hands of private companies. Many critics regard this as a major threat to world-wide food security and biodiversity.

Genetically Modified vs. Organic


Questions or comments contact the Platform Coordinator

Search the IFOAM Website:

Sign up for IFOAM's free info list
Print
Links
No Patents on Seed Coalition


PDF-Downloads
Report on The Future of Seeds and Food by the No Patents on Seed Coalition
FoE report: Who benefits from GM crops?
© IFOAM 2009 - Contact us | Help | Imprint