Retrieved June 28, 2006, Cautions about this term. "The concept of IPRs is tied to a neo-liberal worldview that says that everything in the world - material goods, creative works, even DNA - can and should be privatised."
11 pages, Private-sector dominance of plant breeding constitutes the present norm of organic seed genetics research, which has generated concerns in the organic farming community in this era of robust intellectual property protections. Intellectual property restrictions primarily in the form of certificates, patents, and contractual arrangements are blamed for stifling the innovation of organic seed varieties. To better understand the challenges small-scale and university-based breeders and researchers face in organic corn seed genetic development, this article provides an overview of intellectual property structures surrounding seed innovation and sharing. After describing the legal landscape in which organic corn seed research and development occurs, the article details research efforts exploring the veracity of claims that contractual arrangements (in the form of seed-sharing agreements between breeders and universities) stifle the innovation of organic varieties. In doing so, the article describes the search methodology utilized and highlights a critical barrier to research: the closely guarded nature of private contracts that parties are reluctant to reveal. While we were able to identify several data points that highlighted the importance of seed-sharing agreements as a part of the intellectual property regime controlling organics research and breeding, we were unable to obtain contracts or identify disputes over contractual language to further analyze. Such contractual language only becomes available upon consent and release by individual parties to the contract or by litigation that exposes the contractual language, both of which we attempted to explore and utilize. The article concludes with a discussion of why contractual arrangements in the context of organic corn seed development are an informative piece of the intellectual property puzzle worth exploring, as well as future points of research necessary to yield data substantiating the concerns of stakeholders in the organic seed industry.
Burkina Faso: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: C20239
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, In section E of the "2000 conference proceedings: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education", 16th Annual Conference, March 29th-April 1st, 2000, Arlington, Virginia, USA
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C35810
Notes:
Pages 451-453 in D. Michael Warren, L. Jan Slikkerveer and David Brokensha (eds.), The cultural dimension of development: indigenous knowledge systems. Intermediate Technology Publications Ltd., London, England. 582 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C25312
Notes:
Pages 143-164 in Stephen B. Brush and Doreen Stabinsky (eds.), Valuing local knowledge: indigenous people and intellectual property rights. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 337 pages.
1 page., From the "Indonesia - General" file of the international program records of the AgriculturalCommunications Program, University of Illinois., Notes from review of a journal article at the Gadjah Mada University Library.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D01209
Notes:
Pages 256-266 in Waters-Bayer (eds.), Farmer innovation in Africa: a source of inspiration for agricultural development. Earthscan Publications, Ltd., London, England. 362 pages.
