The Apple of Discord

The application of various forms of intellectual property rights (IP) to agriculture has significantly transformed food production. IP facilitates the concentration of power and control over food systems in the hands of a few corporations, often driving trends toward monoculture and unsustainable agricultural practices.

Club apple is known a system that manages apple supply chains through the application of IP rights. Drawing on ethnographic data from the Tasmanian apple industry, this paper explores the reasons behind the mixed feelings expressed by interviewees operating within this particular IP regime, ranging from compliance and ambiguity to uncertainty and even anger.

This paper critically engages with governance and intellectual property law to offer insights into how sustainable governance systems can address the challenges of power concentration in food production, while promoting ethical and ecological food futures.