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Letter to House Committee on Judiciary Chairmen Grassley and Goodlatte and Ranking Members Leahy and Conyers re Innovation Act

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Dear Chairmen Grassley and Goodlatte and Ranking Members Leahy and Conyers,</p>
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We write as leading agricultural companies and producer organizations to urge caution as the Congress considers changes to the U.S. patent system. There is a concern that the Innovation Act, as currently drafted, will discourage investment in modern agricultural tools important to rural America by making patent rights more difficult to enforce and more challenging for companies and universities to cross-license agricultural technologies.</p>

Dear Chairmen Grassley and Goodlatte and Ranking Members Leahy and Conyers,

We write as leading agricultural companies and producer organizations to urge caution as the Congress considers changes to the U.S. patent system. There is a concern that the Innovation Act, as currently drafted, will discourage investment in modern agricultural tools important to rural America by making patent rights more difficult to enforce and more challenging for companies and universities to cross-license agricultural technologies.

Agricultural innovation depends upon clear, predictable, and enforceable patent rights. Without these patent rights, new products used to produce healthful food, protect crops, preserve the environment, and improve human & animal health will be more costly to develop. Companies and universities expend tremendous resources to research and develop economically and environmentally beneficial technologies to help feed, fuel, clothe, and heal people and animals. But developing new products is a slow, uncertain, and expensive process. It can easily take a decade or longer and more than $100 million to commercialize a single product. Strong patents are critical to ensure a return on investments of time and money, which in turn supports future investments in the industry that directly benefit American agricultural producers.

Given the critical role that innovation plays in modern farming, we urge Congress to carefully consider the impact of any changes to the patent system on the agricultural community. We look forward to working with you and your colleagues to ensure that any changes to the U.S. patent system are narrow, targeted, and drafted to avoid damaging agricultural innovation.

Read BIO's Full Letter to the House Committee on Judiciary Re Patents and Agricultural Innovation Here