2013 ASHS Annual Conference

July 21 - 27, 2013

The IPR workshop will act as a resource for ASHS members on the domestic intellectual property landscape, including both prepared speeches and a panel for questions.  The presentations will present an overview of the various types of Intellectual Property rights and their application in horticulture and agriculture, and how they can be used.  In addition, we will address current events relevant to horticulture, specifically addressing new laws and legal precedents that you should be aware of. A panel of speakers will include a variety of perspectives, including Researchers, Intellectual Property Attorneys, and Industry Experts. In the first hour, panel speakers will provide an overview of the types of intellectual property protection beyond Plant Patents and Plant Breeder’s Rights Certificates. These rights include Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Utility Patents, and Copyrights, all of which can be utilized to maximize your intellectual property benefits. This information will serve as the foundation material for the panel speakers to build upon during the second hour.

Topics:

• IP Basics—Domestic Focus  (speaker: Chelle Bos, Plant Patent Attorney)
• Current Events—Changes in the Patent Law, Legal Precedent, and What It Means to the Horticulture Community (speaker: Robert Jondle, Plant Patent Attorney
• Breeding—The Future Role of Public versus Private IP in Horticulture (speaker to be announced)

The moderated panel presentation for the second hour will address relevant current events in intellectual property law, and the resulting implications to the agricultural and horticultural industries. The goal of the workshop is for participants to gain an understanding of the interface between intellectual property rights, and how to maximize the benefits from protecting those rights. There will be time allotted during the second hour for questions and discussion.