Exhibit 637

Bowman v. Monsanto Co., 569 U.S. 278 (2013), No. 11-796

Exhibit 637 · Court opinion

Bowman v. Monsanto Co., 569 U.S. 278 (2013), No. 11-796

Patent exhaustion does not permit a farmer to reproduce patented seeds through planting and harvesting without the patent holder’s permission.

Argued 19 February 2013. Indiana farmer Vernon Bowman bought commodity soybeans from a grain elevator, planted them, and saved seed from the Roundup Ready progeny for eight crops. The district court awarded Monsanto $84,456. The Court affirmed and said its holding was "limited" to the situation before it. The Court reasoned that a contrary rule would leave Monsanto's patent with "scant benefit."

Source: Supreme Court of the United States (Kagan, J., unanimous)
Date: 13 May 2013
Quoted from: Syllabus, Held
Grade: Primary record
Document: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/11-796_c07d.pdf
Accessed: 2026-11-09
Cited by: Findings citing this exhibit

Cited by

Finding AGR-5.14: Primary record The Supreme Court held unanimously in Bowman v. Monsanto (2013) that patent exhaustion does not let a farmer reproduce patented seed by planting and harvesting without the patent holder's permission. The FTC and five states sued Deere in January 2025 alleging it withheld repair tools, and in July 2026 filed a proposed settlement requiring Deere to give farmers and independent repair shops the repair resources it gives dealers for ten years.