USDA Revokes USGSA Designation in Decatur, Ind.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revoked the Northeast Indiana Grain Inspection Inc.’s (NEI) designation as an agency that may perform official grain inspection and weighing services due to its failure to comply with requirements of the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA). Under USGSA, when a designated official agency fails to comply with provisions of the Act, regulations, or instructions, the Secretary may seek suspension, revocation, or both of their designation. NEI’s revocation became final and effective on August 21, 2023.
Accessing Patented Seed or Plant Material from an International Depositary Authority
To get a patent in the United States, the Patent Act requires patent applicants to include enough written information that a person of ordinary skill in the art could make and use the invention. This description, commonly known as “enablement,” is an essential component of the intellectual property system, which aims to create an incentive to innovate while delivering the benefits of the innovation to the public. With biological materials, a person may need access to the physical biological material the inventor has created in order to make and use it.