bowman case is a case that revolves around the patent benefits that companies like the Monsanto Company are able to use to restrict independent farmers like Vernon Bowman. In this particular case the Monsanto has a patent on a GMO strain of soybean seeds that they sold to the petitioner, Bowman. Bowman used the seeds to grow crops the first year and then proceeded to collect seeds from that crop in order to plant the next year's crop. (court case) He continued to do this for many year after which is against the rights of the patent holder Monsanto. (court case) In order for Bowman to have been able to use Monsanto's strain of soybean he had to have re-bought the seeds every year from the Monsanto Company. The Monsanto Company is a GMO company that makes this particular strain of soybean that is resistant to weed control product "roundup". This company also holds around 400 different GM seed patents so they are no stranger to the rights and regulations that come with owning such patents. (Monsanto)These seeds also are host to many favorable traits such as pest resistance and drought resistance which are not traits that are found in nature for the soybean. This company is under harsh criticism of being unethical by patenting their products. However they believe that it is essential in order to move forward with their work; stating that 10% of the money they receive from selling the seeds will go back into research and development of their products. (Monsanto)This will allow the company to continue to better their product for years to come, while also helping our youth get into this field by investing all of their court case winnings into programs like 4-H. (Monsanto).
Vernon Bowman, is the farmer in question for breaching the Roundup resistant soybean patent. He is an elderly farmer from Indiana who had made may inquires about the seed patents prior to 2005. (case brief) In 2006 Monsanto requested to look at Bowman's planting operations to determine if he was breaching the patent.