Selection of soybeans

Soybeans

In February 2014, the European Patent Office (EPO) granted a patent to Monsanto (Bayer) on screening and selecting soybean plants adapted to certain climate zones (EP2134870). The plants supposedly have higher yields in different environmental conditions. The soybeans concerned are wild and cultivated species from Asia and Australia. According to the patent, more than 250 plants from “exotic” species were screened for variations in climate adaption potential and variations in the period of time needed for the beans to mature. Monsanto has thereby gained a monopoly on the future usage of hundreds of natural DNA sequence variations in the conventional breeding of soybeans. In 2017, oppositions filed with the support of NO PATENTS ON SEEDS! were rejected. NO PATENTS ON SEEDS! filed an appeal. A hearing is scheduled for 29 October 2024 / 9h CET in Haar / Munich. 

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A participation at the online hearing is possible. To register you have to send an email to the EPO (support@epo.org) until 23 October 2024 indicating the following: 

(a) the application number: 08742297.8

(b) the date of the oral proceedings: 29 October 2024

(c) the requester's name: XXX

(d) the requester's email address: XXX

More information: https://www.epo.org/en/applying/european/oral-proceedings/proceedings/public-access

Calendar of oral proceedings

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Patent file on EPO website