April 16, 2009

Farmers march for pig genes

Deutsche welle



"German farmers have marched on the offices of the European Patent Office to block a patent application connected to the genes of their prized livestock

In a rare show of solidarity, German farmers and environmentalists staged a protest to block a genetic patent application from getting the green light. The patent would protect the breeding of pigs that possess a naturally occurring gene linked to rapid growth.

Some 400 protesters parked tractors and herded pigs outside the European Patent Office in the German city of Munich on Wednesday. They also filed an appeal seeking to overturn a 2005 patent application (Patent EP 1651777) filed by US biotech giant Monsanto, and now owned by Newsham Choice Genetics".

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Watch the video Patent for a Pig.

1 comment:

ChristyACB said...

Good for them! I hope they win. Enough is enough! Patents on heirlooms is their new thing. Brandywine's and Mortgage lifter are gonna be theirs next!