Plant and Crop Science

Innovation in plant and crop science is key to agricultural progress, including for meeting the challenges of climate change and the growing world population to crop production. J A Kemp has been closely involved with patenting in the agricultural sector for decades, beginning with work for major players in the crop protection sector and, since the early 1990s, in plant biotechnology. We act for one of the world’s largest agri-science businesses and also act for a variety of other company and university clients in relation to food crops and other plants such as cannabis, in relation to which there has recently been a huge upswing in research activity.

We have patenting expertise in plant science including transgenic technology and plant breeding, new breeding techniques (NBTs) such as CRISPR gene editing, and herbicide/pesticide chemistry. Patent-eligibility of plants has been a long-running controversy in Europe so we help clients to navigate these issues to ensure the protection they obtain is maximised despite the limitations the law imposes. We are also active in obtaining Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) for plant protection products and Plant Variety Rights and deploying all of these alongside agri-tech patents to secure integrated protection for clients’ innovations.