Monsanto appeared in Federal District Court in Manhattan on January 31st, 2012, to have a suit dismissed that was filed by organic growers. At stake is: Can Monsanto sue farmers whose land was contaminated by pollen or seed from genetically modified plantings by their neighbors? The answer is that Monsanto has asserted their patent rights over those whose land was polluted by GMOs and continues to do so. Monsanto has to date filed 144 lawsuits against farmers in at least 27 different states for alleged infringement of its transgenic seed patents, while settling another 700 out of court.
Dan Ravicher, the attorney for the Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association and others, representing over 300,000 individuals, gave this summary of the landmark suit to stop these law suits at the Heirloom Seed Expo in Santa Rosa, CA, on September 14, 2011. As of February 2012 this suit hangs in the balance. Will the District Court Judge follow Monsanto’s demand and declare the issue without merit, or will the suit go forward with consequences for the right to pure food and the survival of organic food production in the US.
Follow the case through these web sites.
Lead plaintiff: Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association <http://www.osgata.org/>
Their attorney Daniel Ravicher <http://www.pubpat.org/>
Supporting organization <http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/>
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