Another short post, as I don’t have time to post anything more interesting or anything longer at the moment. Dr Hauschka/Wala is in a legal dispute with Demeter over the use of the term ‘biodynamic’. They write:
Unfortunately, WALA is currently involved in a legal dispute with Demeter Association, Inc. over the use of the generic word ‘biodynamic.’ Specifically, we question whether Demeter has the right to appropriate the common word ‘biodynamic’ as its exclusive intellectual property and require a licensing scheme for any use of the word. Having been denied the opportunity to negotiate with Demeter and (like several other organizations) having our business threatened unless we complied with their financial demands, we had no choice but to challenge Demeter’s threat in a court of law.
They also add that they remain committed to the principles of biodynamics and to the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. I find this – i e, the dispute between an anthroposophical organisation and an anthroposophical company over a term like biodynamic — quite interesting, and also significant in many ways (does it not tell us something about the anthroposophical movement and its present state?). Unfortunately, I’ve found nothing from Demeter commenting on this case. In the US, Demeter has registered ‘biodynamic’ as a trademark and claims the exclusive right to it. This, as far as I know, is not the case in Europe (although the name Demeter is trademarked, of course).
[...] has made a public response in regard to the legal dispute with Dr Hauschka. (My earlier post.) It’s worth remembering that in the US, the term ‘biodynamic’ is itself [...]