Sakata Seed Joins Patent Pool

Jennifer Polanz

Sakata has joined the Vegetable International Licensing Platform, or ILP, a private association based in the Netherlands. ILP is one of the largest global patent pools dealing with patents covering biological material. Other companies involved in this patent pool include Bayer, Syngenta and Takii, among many others.

Why join? Alicia Suits, Sakata Seed Corporation's marketing specialist, said, “Breeding companies choose to join the ILP to have easier access to patented traits, which will encourage more innovation and drive the industry forward more quickly with faster introduction of improved varieties. This, in turn, benefits growers because members will be able to focus more attention and R&D investment on creating new varieties that address challenges, such as disease resistance and bring better quality products to market. Under the ILP, growers can be assured that members are guaranteed worldwide access to patented traits and patented commercial varieties for vegetable breeding to allow for greater contribution to our global food supply.” GT