Biotech Company To Patent Pigs

Anonymous Swine writes "Monsanto, a US based multinational biotech company, is causing a stir by its plan to patent pig-breeding techniques including the claim on animals born by the techniques. 'Agricultural experts are scrambling to assess how these patents might affect the market, while consumer activists warn that if the company is granted pig-related patents, on top of its tight rein on key feed and food crops, its control over agriculture could be unprecedented. "We're afraid that Monsanto and other big companies are getting control of the world's genetic resources," said Christoph Then, a patent expert with Greenpeace in Germany. The patent applications, filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization, are broad in scope, and are expected to take several years and numerous rewrites before approval.'"

Comments

Time machine also patented

[sir_eccles]

Did anyone else notice the 2005 date on the press release?

As far as I can tell, no patents have been granted from WO2004/003697 which seems to be the most likely application in question.

Re:Time machine also patented

[Anonymous Coward]

And Monsanto sold the swine business in 2007. http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/09/24/daily40.html

Unprecedented control

[dkleinsc]

FTFS: "its control over agriculture could be unprecedented"

It already is. It holds 70-100% of the genetically modified seed market, and is the largest producer of non-GMO seed, not to mention a major player in Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) and of course pesticides and herbicides.

That's not including the lawsuits against farmers who's plants are fertilized by Monsanto crop due to airborne pollen.

In short, the vast majority of industrial farmers in the Corn Belt rely heavily on Monsanto, and those that don't are sued by Monsanto.