Patents
Article
Yes, you can patent nature. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
The following is an excerpt of an article on Moderation Maven about GMOs and patents. When asked about GMOs, most well-informed consumers have something to say. One of the concerns I hear about most often is the fact that GMO seeds are patented, which some are philosophically opposed to because you shouldn’t “patent nature.” But did you know that non-GMO seeds can be patented, too? If you buy organic/non-GMO products because of the patenting issue, well, consider this – organic farmers can (and do!) use patented hybrid seeds. To be honest, I didn’t know a whole lot about hybridi [...]
Do Companies Make Farmers Buy GMO Seeds?
Companies do not force farmers to buy GMO seeds. In fact, in the U.S. and most other agricultural countries, the market for seed sales is open, therefore it is not possible for companies to “force” farmers to buy only one type of seed.
Farmers choose what seeds to grow based on what is best for their farms, market demand and local growing environments. In fact, there are a wide variety of seed options available to farmers, including organic, hybrid, conventional and genetically modified seeds. Many farmers successfully grow organic, non-GMO, and genetically modified crops on the same farm.
Read more about the benefits of GMOs in modern agriculture.