PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 4:22 PM by Luigi

More on Hawaii taro patents

By Alexandre Da Silva (Honolulu Star Bulletin).

Farmers say the University of Hawaii got the wrong message from protests when it decided last week to start transferring three of its taro patents to Hawaiians.

Walter Ritte, a Molokai farmer and staunch opponent of UH's involvement in taro research, said yesterday that Hawaiians do not want the disease-resistant strains of taro bred by the school.

"Hawaiians are saying that the taro cannot be owned, so why would the Hawaiians want to own it?" Ritte said.

UH announced in a news release Friday that it would "assign" the patents on its crossbred taro varieties to Hawaiians. It said discussions were under way within the Hawaiian community to determine the appropriate entity to receive the patents.

Gary Ostrander, UH-Manoa vice chancellor for research and graduate education, declined to elaborate on the negotiations.

Ritte said some groups had been concerned about rescinding the patents, fearing others outside the university could claim them. But he said lawyers have assured him that it would be "almost impossible" for that to happen.

For months, activists, farmers and students have been demanding that the university give up the patents and stop altering taro, a plant many Hawaiians consider sacred. Last month, protesters chained the entrances to the university's medical school in Kakaako.

Chris Kobayashi, whose family has been commercially farming taro on Kauai for 60 years, said patents of the plant, which is used to make poi, should be rescinded because of its cultural significance.

"I don't think anyone should be allowed to patent any life form," said Kobayashi, who farms taro on 10 acres. "Specially taro, it's such a sacred and spiritual plant for Hawaiians."

The patents arose from work conducted by a university faculty member in the 1990s to help Samoan taro growers whose crops were hard hit by a leaf blight.

Plants from Hawaii and Palau were crossbred, producing three strains with increased disease resistance.



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Farmers say the University of Hawaii got the wrong message from protests when it decided last week to start transferring three of its taro patents to Hawaiians. Walter Ritte, a Molokai farmer and staunch opponent of UH's involvement in taro research, said yesterday that Hawaiians do not want the disease-resistant strains of taro bred by the school. "Hawaiians are saying that the taro cannot be owned, so why would the Hawaiians want to own it?" Ritte said. UH announced in a news release Friday that it would "assign" the patents on its crossbred taro varieties to Hawaiians. It said discussions were under way within the Hawaiian community to determine the appropriate entity to receive the patents. Gary Ostrander, UH-Manoa vice chancellor for research and graduate education, declined to elaborate on the negotiations. Ritte said some groups had been concerned about rescinding the patents, fearing others outside the university could claim them. But he said lawyers have assured him that it would be "almost impossible" for that to happen. For months, activists, farmers and students have been demanding that the university give up the patents and stop altering taro, a plant many Hawaiians consider sacred. Last month, protesters chained the entrances to the university's medical school in Kakaako. Chris Kobayashi, whose family has been commercially farming taro on Kauai for 60 years, said patents of the plant, which is used to make poi, should be rescinded because of its cultural significance. "I don't think anyone should be allowed to patent any life form," said Kobayashi, who farms taro on 10 acres. "Specially taro, it's such a sacred and spiritual plant for Hawaiians." The patents arose from work conducted by a university faculty member in the 1990s to help Samoan taro growers whose crops were hard hit by a leaf blight. Plants from Hawaii and Palau were crossbred, producing three strains with increased disease resistance. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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