Monsanto Seed Company Sues Farmer After its Seeds Blow Into His Field, Genetically Altering His Crop

In Canada, a farmer who used his own seeds, was sued by Monsanto because some of their seeds blew into his field from a farm truck spill.

Monsanto seeds cross pollinated with the farmers crops, producing plants that carry genes that are patented. Mansanto maintains that regardless of what happened, it now owns the farmers crops, and if the farmer wants to sell those crops, he owes them money.

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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Judith Traverso May 9, 2009 at 8:30 am: Since I know nothing of farming, I was certainly shocked by this and by the courts decisions. It is hard to believe and definitely wrong that this farmer should be punished for something he didn’t do. I think Monsanto was infringing on his property. I would rather that food grown from the seed he cultivated and not from genetically altered seed. I don’t understand the law that would make this farmer culpable.

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2 chuck December 12, 2009 at 12:00 am: he did not do anything wrong. monsanto should pay him. Christ. soon they own all the seeds in the world and patent them so they will only fruit if you spray them with their pesticides…

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3 Waylon Lewis December 13, 2009 at 11:40 pm: Right, where’s the ACLU or something when you need ‘em…he should be counter-suing their arse, and could build a real case.

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4 Educated Food Supplier February 12, 2010 at 8:08 am: I do know what happened in this particular case – and the farmer is not unique as there have been others who have done the same thing. They planted the seed they grew it a second year, which is in DIRECT violation of the contract they MUST sign to get possession of the seed initially. The farmers thought that they could do so to save some money and in some cases make a point. Unfortunately contract law supercedes this and they were prosecuted after they refused to take a much smaller penalty privately. As a result a heavy fine and a ban from using any of Monsanto’s seed technology. The crop in question does NOT cross pollinate as it is a self pollinating crop, that was just the farmer’s story and was proven wrong in court, hence the fine.
Monsanto isn’t necessarily the most PC in it’s approach to this, however, they do need to protect their significant investments in research (approx. $2 million per day).

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5 S Drouillard March 2, 2010 at 12:21 am: I live in Canada and am familiar with Percy Schmiesers story. I am not sure if this video was his story as I was unable to view it but Monsanto certainly is trying to control the worlds food supply. “The Educated Food Supplier” is either ill informed or wishes to close his or her eyes to what is actually happening. Does he/she eat genetically modified food? Does he/she think that it is morally and ethically responsible to hide the existence of whether or not foods have been genetically modified from the consumer preventing the consumer the right and freedom to choose for themselves. I thought the U.S.A. was the land of the free? I guess this does not extend to your right to choose what you put into our bodies.

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6 wanda cashwell March 12, 2010 at 3:13 pm: Why do the farmers continue to buy from this Monster(Monsanto)?
Why not boycott? Is there something that prevents that. Surely the seed market is not locked down.

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7 mel July 9, 2010 at 8:10 pm: http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto_today/for_the_record/percy_schmeiser.asp

monsanto seems pretty frank. they deserve to be paid for their work.

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Monsanto Seed Company Sues Farmer After its Seeds Blow Into His Field, Genetically Altering His Crop

In Canada, a farmer who used his own seeds, was sued by Monsanto because some of their seeds blew into his field from a farm truck spill.

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