It has been a pleasure and a privilege to voice my opinions on the increasingly important and often misunderstood subject of intellectual property. But after nearly three years writing this column, I'm taking a break from punditry to devote more time to reporting and a new book project.

I've argued here-and in my book Owning the Future, which spawned this column-that in allowing corporations to amass ever broader, exclusive proprietary rights to entire areas of knowledge, we are making some grave mistakes that we will almost certainly come to regret.

A recent European patent ruling perfectly underscores the point. The case involves an audacious patent by the plant biotechnology giant Monsanto claiming exclusive rights over all genetically engineered soybeans-yes, you read it right-created by the company's or any other method. In the latest surprise development, after eight years languishing on appeal, the patent was upheld as valid by the European Patent Office.

Bottom line: this patent is full of beans.