Comments on: Biodynamic Wines http://www.bevlaw.com/bevlog/wine/biodynamic-wines?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=biodynamic-wines Distilling a million label approvals down to the ones that affect you. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:58:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jeff V http://www.bevlaw.com/bevlog/wine/biodynamic-wines/comment-page-1#comment-1487 Jeff V Fri, 21 May 2010 22:22:57 +0000 http://www.bevlaw.com/bevlog/?p=1755#comment-1487 The "UL" certification mark point is a good one. Why was it created? Well, inferior products such as electrical devices, wiring, lamps, etc were being installed in homes and causing fires and some deaths. In fact, you cannot build a house or install a light unless it is UL certified. No retailer, contractor, or installer will touch anything that isn't UL certified. In fact, it is illegal. Wouldn't it be nice to have these types of assurances in the wines we drink or the foods we eat? It is the goal of Demeter and other wine/food certification associations to help educate and promote these products to the consumer. This isn't some rouge group trying to monopolize an industry. Biodynamically produced wines and/or food taste better than industrialized versions of the same. How's that bottle of 2 Buck Chuck taste? Better yet, how is that made? The “UL” certification mark point is a good one. Why was it created? Well, inferior products such as electrical devices, wiring, lamps, etc were being installed in homes and causing fires and some deaths. In fact, you cannot build a house or install a light unless it is UL certified. No retailer, contractor, or installer will touch anything that isn’t UL certified. In fact, it is illegal.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have these types of assurances in the wines we drink or the foods we eat? It is the goal of Demeter and other wine/food certification associations to help educate and promote these products to the consumer. This isn’t some rouge group trying to monopolize an industry. Biodynamically produced wines and/or food taste better than industrialized versions of the same. How’s that bottle of 2 Buck Chuck taste? Better yet, how is that made?

]]> By: Paul Jorgensen http://www.bevlaw.com/bevlog/wine/biodynamic-wines/comment-page-1#comment-520 Paul Jorgensen Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:03:05 +0000 http://www.bevlaw.com/bevlog/?p=1755#comment-520 Some quick notes on this BIODYNAMIC certification mark and certification marks in general: Indeed, Demeter Association, Inc. of Junction City, Oregon does have two certification marks registered in the U.S. and, based on PTO records, at least one international registration. These registrations cover the design mark that you see in this posting (Reg. No. 3448478) and the word BIODYNAMIC (Reg. No. 3102570). Both are certification marks. While trademarks or service marks indicate the source or quality of a mark owner's good or service, certification marks: 1) cover goods or services that the mark owner does not produce; 2) are applied to products or services that the mark owner certifies meet the mark owner's standards; 3) require that a mark owner submit those standards to the PTO with their certification mark application. Not to lessen the importance of Demeter's certification marks, but really anyone can write standards and obtain a certification mark. Often, groups of like minded producers band together and produce a certification mark to get a competitive advantage in the marketplace. There's nothing wrong with that, especially since most certification mark holders make their standards open to public review, but a certification mark is not a guarantee issued by a governmental agency or neutral that ensures that a product will be better. The goal of a certification mark owner is to get consumers to seek and return to products that bear a certification mark. For example, think of how you perceive a product if it bears the famous certification mark "UL" for Underwriter's Laboratories. To do that, like with trademarks and service marks, the owner needs to promote the mark and assure the quality of the goods or services bearing that mark. By the way, lest you think Demeter owns the word, BIODYNAMIC is also registered to other entities as a trademark for several products, including sports equipment, specimen testing instruments, and a horticultural magazine, and for several service marks, including scientific and other consulting services. Some quick notes on this BIODYNAMIC certification mark and certification marks in general: Indeed, Demeter Association, Inc. of Junction City, Oregon does have two certification marks registered in the U.S. and, based on PTO records, at least one international registration. These registrations cover the design mark that you see in this posting (Reg. No. 3448478) and the word BIODYNAMIC (Reg. No. 3102570).

Both are certification marks. While trademarks or service marks indicate the source or quality of a mark owner’s good or service, certification marks: 1) cover goods or services that the mark owner does not produce; 2) are applied to products or services that the mark owner certifies meet the mark owner’s standards; 3) require that a mark owner submit those standards to the PTO with their certification mark application.

Not to lessen the importance of Demeter’s certification marks, but really anyone can write standards and obtain a certification mark. Often, groups of like minded producers band together and produce a certification mark to get a competitive advantage in the marketplace. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially since most certification mark holders make their standards open to public review, but a certification mark is not a guarantee issued by a governmental agency or neutral that ensures that a product will be better.

The goal of a certification mark owner is to get consumers to seek and return to products that bear a certification mark. For example, think of how you perceive a product if it bears the famous certification mark “UL” for Underwriter’s Laboratories. To do that, like with trademarks and service marks, the owner needs to promote the mark and assure the quality of the goods or services bearing that mark.

By the way, lest you think Demeter owns the word, BIODYNAMIC is also registered to other entities as a trademark for several products, including sports equipment, specimen testing instruments, and a horticultural magazine, and for several service marks, including scientific and other consulting services.

]]>