Understanding the Basics of Federal & State Seed Laws

On October 27, 2023, from 12 noon-1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), present this next webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law educational series: “Understanding the Basics of Federal & State Seed Laws.”
Familiar to many U.S. producers, intellectual property law concepts and consumer safety concerns create the regulatory landscape underlying the very source of all U.S. commodities-seeds. This webinar provides an overview of federal and state seed laws, including the federal Plant Variety Protection Act and the Pennsylvania Seed Act, and discuss restrictions on the purchase and use of seeds as well as legal issues associated with patented commercial seeds.
00:06 - Introduction with Audry Thompson
02:12 - Federal and PA Seed Laws with Jackie Schweichler
03:13 - What do seed laws do?
04:38 - Who do seed laws apply to?
05:46 - Plant Patent Act
07:06 - Plant Patents - GMOs
08:02 - U.S. Patent Law
09:21 - Utility Patents
14:12 - Patents - Case law
15:23 - Federal Seed Act
18:59 - Plant Variety Protection Act
25:59 - Ongoing PVPA Lawsuits
27:05 - Pennsylvania Seed Act
34:47 - What is a brown bag seed?
35:57 - PA Seed Act - Penalties
36:45 - Seed Libraries
40:22 - Key points
42:50 - Q&A
49:01 - In the news
50:17 - USDA AMS- March 2023 Report
52:05 - Other Seed Law Issues