JUDGE THROWS OUT ORGANIC FARMERS’ RECENT CASE AGAINST MONSANTO

 

Sovereign Independent

February 28, 2012

For years Monsanto has been trying to take out American family farms and dominate the agricultural industry with their genetically modified seeds. 

Between 1997 and 2010, 144 lawsuits were filed by Monsanto against American family farmers, with an additional 700 being settled out of court.   
 

ED: See:  ORGANIC FARMERS AND SEED SELLERS SUE MONSANTO

Recently, farmers made a firm decision to institute massive resistance against the biotech corporation by launching their own landmark lawsuit against Monsanto for contaminating crop fields with GMOs. The landmark case has now been thrown out by a New York federal court.

In a lawsuit originally filed in March of 2011, the Public Patent Foundation represented various individuals and organizations threatened by Monsanto and their GMO crops. 

Family farmers, farming organizations, and seed businesses all took a stand in a case known as the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) et al v. Monsanto. Seeing as Monsanto is stampeding over much of the farmland with their questionable and dangerous genetic manipulations, it isn’t surprising to see a case safeguarding farmers from Monsanto’s own lawsuits while also disputing the company’s patents on GMO seeds.

Unfortunately, the case seems to be unfolding in Monsanto’s favor. In fact, a New York court yesterday dismissed the lawsuit. The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association was hoping that the judge would disallow the use of Monsanto’s seeds as they drift into organic fields, but instead the judge found the plaintiffs’ allegations to be “unsubstantiated … given that not one single plaintiff claims to have been so threatened.” In addition, the ruling said the plaintiffs overstated the magnitude of Monsanto’s patent enforcement.

“Beyond whatever happens with this suit, there are some very legitimate issues behind it,” Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, tells The Salt. “There is already a significant burden to organic food production, and there is more coming. It raises the question: Is it possible for organic agriculture to survive in the face of GM crops?”

 

Following current trends, genetically modified foods will make up the majority of the future food supply if a change is not made. Statistics show how GMO crops and ingredients have skyrocketed in even the past few years.