[compost_tea] Re: More smoke and mirrors

From: Kirk Leonard (kirk@oregonatural.com)
Date: Sat Feb 22 2003 - 15:29:27 EST


> From: "tomjasz <tomj@livesoil.com>" <tomj@livesoil.com>
> Anyone else more than a little concerned about the direction this may
take us, or how it may effect our business? <

Tom -- Yup, but I don't think it'll stop anyone in their tracks. When I
first heard Hahn was trying to do this, I thought: "No way you can patent a
generic property of an organic material" but I was wrong, obviously. As
with gene patenting, there's an ugly bolux amongst us these days, imo...
Hopefully, someday soon, somebody will go to court and be able to establish
that all this stuff is illegal, greedy trash. In another time, maybe even
Congress will do something.

Here's what I think the impact is and I would love to hear from others who
have more insight into the possible effects: Hahn may become the only
person who can market worm castings primarily for "insect repellency" or in
the instance of the new application, for "fungal control" unless of course
you want to pay him for that minor privilege (castings do a whole lot more
than that). Since these are generic properties of worm castings, they won't
go away, you just can't base your marketing on them. (I would love to see
Hahn's method for removing chitinase properties from "illegal" castings, I'm
sure...:-)

Hahn did some good work here that everybody making castings will benefit
from, so I can't hold it against him too much. "Insect repellency" and
"fungal control" can become minor elements of product information for the
rest of us. Akin to the difference between "Kleenex" and "facial tissues."

Another thing he's doing which may be of greater concern is seeking EPA
registration of worm castings as "a pesticide and a fungicide." Given Doc
E's recent admonitions about applying "-cide" names for biological
materials, this could be an even greater reality warp, it seems to me.

-- Kirk

----------------------------------------------------------------------
> United States Patent Application 20030017213
> Kind Code A1
> Hahn, George E. January 23, 2003
----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Methods of using worm castings for fungal control

> Abstract
> The present invention describes a material and a method for
> controlling fungi. The method consists of disposing a naturally
> formed chitinase about an area to be protected. The naturally formed
> chitinase is produced from worm castings and the worm castings may be
> disposed naturally, in the form of timed-release pellets, or in a
> liquid form. The area to be protected includes plants and structures.
> The naturally formed chitinase may be disposed about the base of the
> plant or structure, or on the leaves of the plant.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
> United States Patent Application 20020090669
> Kind Code A1
> Hahn, George E. July 11, 2002
----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Methods of using worm castings for insect repellency

> Abstract
> Worm Castings are the feces or excrement from the common red
> earthworm found in much of the world. Worm castings are produced as a
> normal part of the worm life cycle when worms are fed a diet of
> various forms of biodegradable materials such as compost, paper, food
> waste, and any other organic material, which will degrade. The genus
> of the most common worm is eisenia foetida. Other earthworms are
> available and also provide worm castings, which can be used for this
> invention. These worm castings contain enzymes known as various forms
> of chitinase of which insects have a strong aversion. When the worm
> castings are put in a layer, walking insects such as ants won't cross
> the layer and ants in nests under the layer will leave the nests to
> get away from the worm castings. The worm castings also have the
> ability to activate multiplication of the chitinase-producing
> bacteria found naturally in plants. The concentration of chitinase
> must be sufficiently high to repel insects. Testing has shown that
> the natural level of chitinase found in most plants is not sufficient
> to repel insects. The level of chitinase is multiplied to a repulsion
> level with the use of worm castings. Liquid worm castings can be used
> as a foliar spray to administer a concentration of chitinase
> topically to the leaves and stems of plants. Liquid worm castings
> give a temporary repellency effect that can be effective to keep the
> insects away until the level of natural repellency is increased in
> the nectar of the plant. Worm castings can also be added to the
> hydroponic feed liquid for plants to provide sufficient level of
> chitinase to repel insects.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Inventors: Hahn, George E.; (Cardiff by the Sea, CA)
> United States Patent 6,475,503
> Hahn November 5, 2002
----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Methods of using worm castings for insect repellency

> Abstract
> The present invention describes a material and a method for repelling
> insects. The method consists of disposing a naturally formed
> chitinase about an area to be protected. The naturally formed
> chitinase is produced from worm castings and the worm castings may be
> disposed naturally, in the form of timed-release pellets, or in a
> liquid form. The area to be protected includes plants and structures.
> The naturally formed chitinase may be disposed about the base of the
> plant or structure, or on the leaves of the plant.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Inventors: Hahn; George E. (205 Liszi Ave., Cardiff by the Sea, CA
> 92007)
> Appl. No.: 784283
> Filed: February 16, 2001

> Current U.S. Class: 424/405; 424/93.1; 424/543
> Intern'l Class: A01N 025/00; A61K 035/36
> Field of Search: 424/405,543 71/65













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