Monsanto prevails on GM seed patent
The Supreme Court ruled that farmers must pay Monsanto each time they plant the company’s patented genetically modified soybeans.
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The Supreme Court ruled this week that farmers must pay Monsanto each time they plant the company’s patented genetically modified soybeans. Farmers are contractually required not to save and replant herbicide-resistant Roundup Ready seeds from previous crops. Indiana farmer Vernon Hugh Bowman had bypassed this rule by buying a mix of beans, spraying them with herbicide so that only the Roundup Ready versions survived, and then replanting them. The justices agreed with Monsanto that Bowman’s actions undermined the company’s patent. The ruling could have implications for other self-replicating products, like vaccines, cell lines, and software.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Recipe: beef and broccoli noodles by Pippa Middlehurst
The Week Recommends A simple adaptation of a classic Chinese dish
By The Week Staff Published
-
Libya: the 'tsunami' that washed away a city
Talking Point Climate change may have made the storm more likely, but many blame failures of governance for the scale of the tragedy
By The Week Staff Published
-
Volcanoes, lakes and jungle ruins in Guatemala
The Week Recommends Discover the 'vibrant indigenous culture' and biodiverse landscape of this Central American paradise
By The Week Staff Published