Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments from representatives on behalf Monsanto Co. and Indiana farmer Vernon Bowman, to determine whether Mr. Bowman had violated the company’s patents on soybean seeds that are resistant to the weed-killer glyphosate (RoundUp). This case goes to the core of the ability of U.S. companies to invest in the research necessary to develop new products with an assurance that U.S. patent law will protect their investment. “Why in the world would anybody spend any money to try to improve the seed if as soon as they sold the first one anybody could grow more and have as many of those seeds as they want?” Chief Justice John G. Roberts asked during oral arguments before the court.

Experts and observers have noted that the impact of the Court’s ruling will extend beyond the agricultural biotechnology sector:

The justices appeared alert to the consequences of their eventual ruling not only for Monsanto’s very lucrative soybean patents but also for modern agriculture generally and for areas as varied as vaccines, cell lines and software.

The New York Times, Feb. 19, 2013

“The case revolves around what appears to be a deliberate attempt by one farmer to circumvent the law. Bowman v Monsanto is the long-anticipated square off between a 75-year old Indiana farmer and the world’s largest agricultural biotechnology firm. The decision will turn on the minutiae of patent law, but the implications will extend to all cutting-edge technologies.”

Jon Entine, Executive Director, Genetic Literacy Project

“…Innovators, whether they are in a scientific laboratory or a recording studio, must count on being able to recoup their risky investments without the threat of illegal copies. Whether those copies are crops on a farm in the Midwest or hot DVDs on the sidewalks of New York City, the principle is the same, and so are the consequences: When one free rider skims off the top, everyone else ends up paying more, and innovators get less to invest in the next round of innovation. Neither of these outcomes is what America needs.”

Robert Atkinson, President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

To read more, check out Supremes unsympathetic to farmer’s deception at center of Monsanto GMO soybean SCOTUS patent challenge and  The Supreme Court is about to shape the future of innovation.

Farmers who planted drought-tolerant corn varieties this year said the corn appeared to endure drought better than other varieties, The Wall Street Journal reports.

“It seems like it takes a lot more stress, it’s a lot more tolerant,” said a farmer in Nebraska who planted DuPont’s drought tolerant corn variety Optimum AQUAmax.

A study published in 2010 by Iowa State University points out that conventional breeding techniques and biotechnology used by agricultural companies including Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta have already helped to reduce drought related losses for the U.S. corn crop by 1 percent a year in the last decade.

Researchers note that even small gains in corn bioengineering can lead to significant improvements in the size of corn crops and have “a huge economic impact.” David Lightfoot from Southern Illinois University says progress is going to have the biggest payoff for the crops that have grown in some of the driest areas of Midwest. Read more.

Want to learn more about ag biotech? Check out the stories below to read the news we thought was important this week!

 Supreme Court lifts the ban on GM Alfalfa Seeds

The Supreme Court decided to overturn a lower court’s ban on planting genetically modified alfalfa seeds on Monday, a sweeping victory for Monsanto Co. in what was the first ruling by the Supreme Court over genetically modified organism (GMO) crops. The ruling, a 7-1 decision, allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider a partial deregulation of alfalfa during the time when USDA is completing its Environmental Impact Statement, which is necessary before full deregulation of the genetically engineered alfalfa at issue in the case can occur.

 Expert says Australia should focus on wheat breeding technologies, including GM Wheat

At an International Grains Council Conference, Peter Reading, managing director of Australia’s Grains Research and Development Corporation said that Australia should focus its energies on wheat breeding technologies, including GM wheat, in order to address the decline rates in Australia’s wheat productivity growth.  However, GM wheat is not expected to be available for another ten years.

 Lack of communication between scientists and public, Jia Hepeng says

In a piece Thursday on how well scientists inform the public about food safety, Jia Hepeng said that China’s conflict over genetically modified crops can only be resolved through improved communication between scientists and the public. Citing events such as the Ministry of Agriculture’s announcement that it had issued biosafety licenses to two pest-resistant rice varieties and one phystaze maize, Hepeng calls for more refined, reader-friendly ways of presenting ongoing research on GM crops and better systems for decision-making, regulation, and monitoring.

This week, we found more ag biotech stories to share, including some great news out of the EU that could lead to the approval of more biotech crops in Europe.

CTIC releases latest Sustainability & Biotechnology Report

The Conservation Technology Information Center just released its latest report on improving sustainability efforts with agricultural biotechnology, according to AgWired. The report, released at the end of May, stresses the importance of environmental and economic sustainability to farming. “Biotechnology-derived crops and the sustainable farming systems they facilitate are key tools in the race to grow more food, feed, fiber and fuel while protecting the environment,” according to a statement made in the executive summary for the report. READ MORE »

Roger Beachy, long-time head of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, has agreed to join the Obama Administration as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the new research funding arm of the US Department of Agriculture. As the head of this organization, Beachy aims to fund studies that answer agriculture’s most pressing challenges, including “sustainable food production and nutrition, readiness for climate aberrations that will impact productivity and developing renewable options like biofuels.”

Under Roger Beachy’s leadership NIFA will prioritize education in its grant-making in order to “ensure that the knowledge we gain from research reaches farmers and consumers; from the lab to the field to the fork.”  He also hopes to fund innovative and exploratory projects, including looking into additional areas of ag biotech development.

Roger Beachy will be speaking at the 2010 Biotechnology Industry Organization Annual Convention at a summit organized by the Food & Ag and Industrial & Environmental sections of BIO.

You can read a full interview with Mr. Beachy in Nature and Biotechnology here.