Japan looks to protect intellectual property in wagyu beef cattle

The cow has already bolted, way to late at this point.

In what way are fertilized eggs and sperm intellectual?

The move comes after an attempt to export fertilized wagyu beef cattle eggs and sperm to China came to light in 2018

Can't these PRC communists ever stop STEALING from Japan and US?

They've been cases of these people trying to steal high quality corn from the US too.

I say we arm Japanese farmers and train them them to shoot at whoever tries to steal Japanese Wagyu beef know-how.

To try and classify a living product, the DNA as an intellectual property may well run in to difficulties internationally and while any law however misguided can be enforced domestically it will not be anywhere else and could have a negative impact on general trade if it is seen that Japanese laws are arbitrary, restrictive and at variance to accepted international norms.

I prefer meat with my fat.

The fat in the Wagyu beef is much healthier than the fat in our American cattle, or so we are told anyway. I've been wanting to try some Wagyu stakes for a long time, but they are way too expensive. There Cooper Bros. meats here in Lexington, Ky. is the only place I know of to get it. I called to order a couple of these one time for my brothers visit. The bill for 2 steak cuts would have been over $140.00. So I settled for Akiushi cuts instead, which were pretty good too, but half the price.

I think Japan is right to protect the rights of farmers, scientists who developed beef over the years to be what its become. Some American ranchers are selling what they call wagyu, but I’m doubtful it is The Real Thing™️. Gary Yamamoto, famous bass fisherman and lure maker has a wagyu, maybe Kobe beef ranch in Texas. Closest I’ve ever had was Yamagata gyu. Excellent! Well, I have had wagyu only in Japan. In its strictest term, all wagyu is, is 和牛。

Why the focus on China? I often see Wagyu beef for sale in the UK - bred in the UK apparently. Even Costco sells it.

It's a little bit too late.

They've been breeding wagyu beef cattle (legally) in Australia for decades. I'm quite sure this move is specifically aimed at the Chinese.

The fat in the Wagyu beef is much healthier than the fat in our American cattle, or so we are told anyway.

Nonsense. Japanese cattle are raised on corn, meaning the meat is full of unhealthy omega-6 fats. American and Australian grass-raised cattle are much healthier. Cattle aren't designed to eat corn. That's why Japanese cows are all obese and full of fat.

Great move and not any later than "champagne" being protected decades after it became synonymous with sparkling wine. And yes, DNA is intellectual property, recognized as such across the world. They need to demonstrate something novel in the cattle DNA to patent it.

Standard crop breeding results in new varieties that are recognized intellectual property of the breeder. The rice you see growing across the country are varieties with intellectual property protection under UPOV 91.

The genetically modified bacteria used to make insulin were patented (starting to expire).

People hate GM but when they realize all insulin comes from GM bacteria and the new and trending CAR-T cancer treatments that could possibly finally be a cure for cancer in from genetically modified cells they become more accepting of the technology and the intellectual property.

@No Business Wrong, Japanese cattle are raised on barley. Corn fed beef has yellow fat which does not appeal to Japanese consumers who prefer beef with white fat.

How ???. Pls do tell us in details. No, blur explianations pls.

The focus on China is for a reason: what other country do you know might actually try to sell tainted 'Wagyu beef' in an attempt to make a quick yuan?

I am sorry but the last thing the Japanese cattle industry needs is a cheap Chinese knock off.

I know that won't please the Japan bashers on the board here, but thus far Japanese Wagyu beef and the Japanese cattle industry have done a great job in marketing and operations - especially operations. Yes, it's classic Japanese 'uber control' of everything to the point of being anal retentive, but it has worked very well. Americans, Britons and others recognize that Wagyu beef usually entails a higher quality cut of steak (I am not a huge fan of it, but some Americans and Britons are more than willing to pay a premium for it). These consumers are - for now - savvy enough to know that a cheap Chinese knock off is probably (a) not raised in the same manner and (b) probably injected with a ton of growth hormones. However, it won't take long for the Chinese to do what they usually do when they enter a market: compete solely on price, cheat on materials, etc. and take the market down a rabbit hole.

so they give cows IQ tests now, is there like a Mensa for cows?