U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Plant Patents

U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Plant Patents

NEW YORK--In a 6-to-2 vote in early December, the U.S. SupremeCourt upheld the right to patent plants. The legality behind patenting plantswas brought into question when Pioneer Hi-Bred, a Du Pont company, sued J.E.M.Ag Supply Inc., a farm supply business in Belmond, Iowa, for selling Pioneercorn seed without the company's permission. The case first went before a judgein Sioux City, Iowa, then to the U.S. Court of Appeals and finally the SupremeCourt, all of which upheld that plants could be patented. This court rulingallows Pioneer (www.pioneer.com) tocontinue with its suit against J.E.M.