ABSTRACT
Identity preservation may be today’s agricultural buzzword but the concept is not new. Situations have developed in the last few years, and continue to develop, that have brought the IP concept to the forefront. Agricultural scientists have talked for many years about the development of new or modified crops (not necessarily GMO) that would create stratification in the marketplace. In the last 10 years we have seen an almost geometric increase in specialty hybrids and varieties of several crops. To maintain the special characteristics of these crops they must be segregated from their commodity counterparts. Even though the current emphasis in IP circles may be the GMO/non-GMO issue the future will be in value-enhanced products that will make a difference in our food, fiber, industrial, and medicinal products.
