The Fresh Loaf

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Lawsuit Farmers vs Monsanto re Control of Crop Genetics

varda's picture
varda

Lawsuit Farmers vs Monsanto re Control of Crop Genetics

I became aware of this general issue on this site I believe in Andy's blog.   It seems almost surreal to me - now Monsanto is trying to prevent farmers from planting certain crops because of cross-pollination with their patented genetically engineered varieties grown in neighboring fields.   A group of farmers is suing Monsanto.   Here is a link to the farmers' online petition.   http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/farmersvs_monsanto/

ananda's picture
ananda

and some corporations will stoop so low to achieve it!

Andy

tananaBrian's picture
tananaBrian

This is exactly why the free market needs good regulation ...too bad regulation is so hard to write without causing lots of painful unintended consequences (look at the EU).  Even so, this is actually something a federal government should be doing ...protecting the little guy from the massive corporations and their rooms full of lawyers.  I would say, "If you don't like what blew into your field, then find a different field" and "If it grows on my land from what I grew or bought, then you have no business poking your nose in my business ...even if your genetically engineered stuff happened to cross pollinate with my crops and I planted from those crops ...too bad, so sad."  The one thing you can't really control (someone smarter than me will have to do it) is if you do NOT want that Monsanto stuff blowing in your field, e.g. your organic heirloom-only farm, then there really isn't any good way to prevent it... that I know of.  I'm not a farmer...

 

Brian

arlo's picture
arlo

I learned all about the evils of Monsanto in culinary school. I hope something actually happens to Monsanto - thanks for posting this to hopefully raise awareness.

Yerffej's picture
Yerffej

Monsanto is synonymous with the devil.  The more awareness that is brought to that group, the better.

Jeff

suave's picture
suave

As awesome as it sounds, the petition is absolutely meaningless, just a generic "I am good, I don't like, it must be evil, down with it!"  What is the name of the case?  Where it was filed?  What does it allege?  Is there even a lawsuit?  Well, there is.  I would suggest that anyone willing to sign the petition should at least read the first two pages and check who the primary plaintiff is and what they ask for. 

rayel's picture
rayel

Hi Varda, perhaps you have seen this nearly hour long video, if not you can find it on google. The "David" in this video refers to Percy Schmeiser, a farmer from Saskatchwan, who won his suit against Monsanto. He and his wife were being hounded by this greedy co. and they nearly lost their farm. Facing a huge suit against him he counter sued, and was triumphant. He tells his story eloquently, and I nearly cried for him when I listened to how he was nearly run over roughshod, by this company. He won a really important precedent, when he demanded Monsanto hire a crew to get their gmo canola plants out of his crop. Well worth your time if you haven't seen it yet.  Ray

rayel's picture
rayel

Hi Varda, perhaps you have seen this nearly hour long video, if not you can find it on google. The "David" in this video refers to Percy Schmeiser, a farmer from Saskatchwan, who won his suit against Monsanto. He and his wife were being hounded by this greedy co. and they nearly lost their farm. Facing a huge suit against him he counter sued, and was triumphant. He tells his story eloquently, and I nearly cried for him when I listened to how he was nearly run over roughshod, by this company. He won a really important precedent, when he demanded Monsanto hire a crew to get their gmo canola plants out of his crop. Well worth your time if you haven't seen it yet.  Ray

rayel's picture
rayel

My computer runs very slowly, and i must have been impatient when i hit save a second time. Ray

varda's picture
varda

the link to the complaint (suave) and the reference to the video (suave).   These round out the topic quite a bit.   Here is a link to a clip of the David video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLzELDt3d2I   -Varda