To go back to comparing a farmer to a writer....
First, I don't buy the comparison of a farm to a book. They're both completely different things. I do buy the comparison a new plant-type to a book.
If you design a new plant-type, you can make it your intellectual property.
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Originally Posted by wikipedia
Plant breeders' rights (PBR), also known as plant variety rights (PVR), are rights granted to the breeder of a new variety of plant that give him exclusive control over the propagating material (including seed, cuttings, divisions, tissue culture) and harvested material (cut flowers, fruit, foliage) of a new variety for a number of years.
With these rights, the breeder can choose to become the exclusive marketer of the variety, or to license the variety to others.
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Hey, that sounds familiar, right? As that goes for books as well.
But:
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Typically, plant variety rights are granted by national offices, after examination. Seed is submitted to the plant variety office, who grow it for one or more seasons, to check that it is distinct, stable, and uniform. If these tests are passed, exclusive rights are granted for a period of 20 years (or 25 years, for trees and vines). Annual renewal fees are required to maintain the rights.
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Wait, only 20 or 25 years? And annual renewal required? So, what's so different between books and plants that a book will allow a writer to hand on the rights for 50, 70 or however long it is in the US, to his heirs?