The Chicken Little "sky is falling" routine over patents remains both relevant and infantile. Infantile because the specific complaints are hyperbolic scare-mongering based upon ignorant fear.

Relevant because patents do have considerable economic impact. But so does technology moving forward, regardless of a patenting regime. Luddites weren't smashing machines in 19th century Britain because they were patented; it was the loss of jobs from automation. Livelihoods are affected by changing technology, patented or not. For example, music downloads are dramatically altering the dynamics of that industry.

Patents just legally codify intellectual property, turning technology into a commodity. Patents actually create a viable mechanism for sharing technology. Patents potentially level the playing field, allowing individuals or small companies a means to cash in on innovation where they otherwise could not.

Farmers, or politicos posing on farmers' behalf, squealing about Monsanto patents ought instead to be rooting for farming innovations they themselves could patent. Of course, bitching is easy and inventing is hard. What Monsanto is patenting could be done by a smaller company, though, if you bother to read the patent application, you realize the considerable research behind what are very specific claims.