There's a story on tonight's KITV website about Hawaiian activists going after the University of Hawai'i over patents to 3 new varieties of taro that were developed by the UH.
"...The University's College of Tropical Agriculture was granted the patents in 2002. Hawaiian groups say the university did not invent taro and therefore has no right to own or license it.
"What they're doing is setting the precedent for the rest of the state and for the rest of the world to come here to Hawaii and start patenting things that they should not be patenting," said Walter Ritte, of Hui Ho'o Pakele Aina.
Taro is owned collectively by Hawaiians and therefore UH should return the three varieties to the public domain, according to Ritte...."
What is this world coming to? Who has more claim to those 3 new varieties of taro? Would the kanaka maoli eat those 3 varieties?
Miulang
"...The University's College of Tropical Agriculture was granted the patents in 2002. Hawaiian groups say the university did not invent taro and therefore has no right to own or license it.
"What they're doing is setting the precedent for the rest of the state and for the rest of the world to come here to Hawaii and start patenting things that they should not be patenting," said Walter Ritte, of Hui Ho'o Pakele Aina.
Taro is owned collectively by Hawaiians and therefore UH should return the three varieties to the public domain, according to Ritte...."
What is this world coming to? Who has more claim to those 3 new varieties of taro? Would the kanaka maoli eat those 3 varieties?
Miulang
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