Brussels, Belgium
26 April 2010
With an increasing world population and precious finite natural resources, World Intellectual Property day allows us the opportunity to reflect on how innovation can help meet these challenges by providing strong protective regimes for the rights of creators and fostering a successful knowledge economy.
The plant science industry is focused on developing innovative crop protection and plant biotechnology products that enable farmers to grow crops in a more sustainable and productive way. As agricultural technology developers design new tools and plant varieties for farmers, CropLife International encourages robust intellectual property protections including, the continued protection of regulatory data, patent eligibility, and global patent enforcement.
“In observance of World Intellectual Property Day, CropLife International encourages governments to consider the critical and positive role intellectual property has on helping to ensure food security, sustainable agricultural practices, and ways to mitigate and adapt to climate change,” says Howard Minigh, president and CEO of CropLife International. “Agricultural innovation has played — and will continue to play — a significant role in increasing crop productivity and enabling farmers to be better stewards of the land. Continued innovation must be encouraged through strong intellectual property protection.”
For the plant science industry to continue its investment in technologies for the next generation, governments must continue to protect regulatory data and ensure patent eligibility. These protections are not only a recognition of the resources involved in bringing a new product to market, but are also a tool for increasing investment and competitiveness in emerging markets.
Intellectual property protections help to safeguard farmers and consumers as well. Strict enforcement of strong intellectual property laws helps to ensure that harmful counterfeit products do not reach the market. Counterfeit crop protection products are not only an intellectual property violation; they present a serious food safety, environment, and human health risk.
To learn more about the role of intellectual property in enabling plant science innovation and safeguarding health, visit http://www.cropnewsnetwork.com/intellectual-property/
Topics
Species
