7 USC § 2542 - Grandfather clause

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t7/s2542"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "7 USC § 2542 - Grandfather clause"
title_number: 7
title_name: "AGRICULTURE"
section_number: "2542"
section_name: "Grandfather clause"
chapter_number: 57
chapter_name: "PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION AND RIGHTS"
part_number: "K"
part_name: "Infringement of Plant Variety Protection"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 91–577, title III, § 112, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1555; Pub. L. 103–349, § 13(r), Oct. 6, 1994, 108 Stat. 3144.)"
---


# § 2542. Grandfather clause

Nothing in this chapter shall abridge the right of any person, or the successor in interest of the person, to reproduce or sell a variety developed and produced by such person more than one year prior to the effective filing date of an adverse application for a certificate of plant variety protection.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 91–577, title III, § 112, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1555; Pub. L. 103–349, § 13(r), Oct. 6, 1994, 108 Stat. 3144.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994— substituted “the successor in interest of the person” for “his successor in interest”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 180 days after , see , set out as a note under .