Promoting a biobased economy

US Agricultural Secretary Vilsack toured a Midwest facility today that is developing packaging materials made entirely from plant-based feedstocks.  “USDA and the Obama administration are working with private industry to strengthen and transition to a bioeconomy,” Vilsack said.

The visit by Secretary Vilsack was meant to highlight the Administration’s commitment to the development of biobased products beyond just biofuels.  The event was related to President Obama’s February 21, 2012 Memorandum to Executive Departments to drive innovation and create rural jobs through the promotion of biobased products and the President’s September 2011 commitment to develop a National Bioeconomy Blueprint.  The Blueprint, which has yet to be released, will purportedly detail steps to harness biological research innovations to address national challenges in health, food, energy, and the environment (see Building a 21st Century Bioeconomy by Mary Maxon and Mike Stebbins).

Links

• Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Visits Madison Company to Promote Job-Creating Bioeconomy

• Presidential Memorandum -- Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement

• President Obama Signs America Invents Act, Overhauling the Patent System to Stimulate Economic Growth, and Announces New Steps to Help Entrepreneurs Create Jobs

• OSTP Request for Information (RFI) to solicit input from all interested parties on how best to develop the National Bioeconomy Blueprint (.pdf)

• Building a 21st Century Bioeconomy

AOCS Special Session: Maximizing Yield: Optimal Strategies for Obtaining and Enforcing Patent Rights in the Wake of the America Invents Act
This special session will occur Monday April 30, 2012 at the 103rd AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo in Long Beach, California. On-site registration is available.

Maximizing Yield: Optimal Strategies for Obtaining and Enforcing Patent Rights in the Wake of the America Invents Act • Monday, April 30 • 8:00 am–8:50 am • 101B Long Beach Convention Center

Co-Presenters: Paul S. Tully, Ph.D., Partner, and Jeremy E. Noe, Partner, McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP, USA.

The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act of 2011 (AIA), signed into law September 16, is the first significant overhaul of the U.S. patent system in nearly 60 years. It ushers in considerable changes in how companies and individuals obtain and enforce patents in the United States. Certain AIA patent reform measures have already been implemented, but the most significant are yet to come.

This presentation will provide an overview of the AIA’s impact on many important aspects of obtaining and enforcing patent rights,including the following:

• First-to-file versus first-to-invent
• Provisional patent applications versus utility patent applications
• Expansion in scope of potential prior art
• Due Diligence and Opinions of Counsel as aids to avoiding patent infringement
• Post-grant review process
• Expansion of prior user rights

Find out more here.
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This guest post was provided by Patrick J. Donnelly, AOCS Chief Executive Officer.