The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) will start accepting applications of seed-propagated hemp for plant variety protection. PVPO provides intellectual property protection to breeders of new varieties of seeds and tubers. PVPO examines new applications and grants certificates that protect varieties for 20 years (25 years for vines and trees). Certificate owners have rights to exclude others from marketing and selling their varieties, manage the use of their varieties by other breeders, and enjoy legal protection of their work.