Organic growers appeal Monsanto suit

Standing up to the big guy

Remember the organic farmers who took a major blow from Monsanto earlier this year? They’d filed a suit to keep from being sued in the case of accidental contamination. But the judge in the case dismissed the complaint, claiming that organic farmers were in no danger of being sued by Monsanto, since they obviously didn’t want to use genetically modified seeds.

He’d completely missed the point of the farmers’ fears, instead saying they were trying to “create a controversy where none exists” (oh, come on). And though he sided with the patent bullies, these farmers weren’t going to back down.

Instead, they’ve appealed the decision, sending a clear message that we can’t…and we won’t…stand by and watch Monsanto take over production of our food supply.

We can’t hold our breath for bans like the one recently passed in France to pass here. It’s safe to say that when our president chooses to appoint Monsanto alums to major positions at the FDA that our government isn’t on our side when it comes to maintaining the safety of our food. So these farmers should be applauded for keeping up the fight.

They’re not accepting a decision that assumes Monsanto won’t sue out of the kindness of their heart. After all there have already been cases in which farmers have said their fields were accidentally contaminated and have faced legal threats anyway.

Take, for example, the story of farmer Percy Schmeiser found on nelsonfarm.net. Schmeiser says his organic Canola fields were contaminated with pollen from a nearby farm using the Round-Up Ready Canola created by Monsanto. The bigwigs at Monsanto say they don’t care how it happened–all they care about is that Schmeiser is now growing a product they patented, and they want their money. Schmeiser sees things differently, of course. His point of view is that Monsanto ruined his crops and he’s the one being punished for it.

Or there is the case of Rodney Nelson who is a farmer in North Dakota. His family’s been farming their land since 1961. Monsanto sued them over their 1998 and 1999 crops. An independent body (the North Dakota State Seed Arbitration Board) found no wrongdoing. But it seems Monsanto won’t back down.

And the truth is, The Nelson’s reputation and business are liable to be ruined long before Monsanto admits that there are ways, other than stealing, for their products to show up on farms…like in the bellies of birds that have dined on GMO crops or in the wind.

And those are just two stories out of over a hundred. As Monsanto’s hold on agriculture continues to tighten, there will only be more. It’s not too far-fetched to imagine a world in which the only crops that grow are owned by Monsanto–because farmers are too afraid to grow anything else.

And we can’t have that.

If you missed Dr. Wright’s article on the red flags associated with genetically modified food when I shared it a few weeks ago, subscribers can access it here. We’re talking deliberate misinformation and serious health threats here.

That’s why the organic farmers’ refusal to back down is so critical. If you want to support their fight, you can start with groups like Millions Against Monsanto, who are working diligently to fight the GMO takeover of our food supply.

P.S. Constant bouts with strep throat? The cause could be something you’d never consider…keep reading.

Sources:
“U.S. organic growers appeal lawsuit against Monsanto,” Reuters (reuters.com)

“Monsanto sues more small family farmers,” Millions Against Monsanto (organicconsumers.org/monsanto)

“One Family’s Fight,” Nelson Farm (nelsonfarm.net)