by Lori Stein and Bonnie Lane Webber
For many years, farmers cowered as agribusiness and the U.S. legal system bullied them into accepting the law according to Monsanto. Now farmers are fighting back.
Monsanto’s seed patents allow them to penalize farmers whose fields include transgenic seed that was not bought directly from Monsanto—even if that seed entered the field without the farmers’ actions or knowledge. Monsanto filed 128 lawsuits against American farmers from 1997-2010, and settled another 700, leading to loss of crops, bankruptcies, and a general atmosphere of fear.
Now farmers are challenging the legitimacy of Monsanto’s patents in a lawsuit. The suit represents 83 plaintiffs and over 300,000 people and, if successful, will prevent Monsanto from suing farmers whose crops are contaminated when Monsanto’s seeds drift into their fields.
The plaintiffs also contend that Monsanto’s claims that their seeds produce superior yields and weed resistance are not true and that, in many cases, the transgenic seed creates resistant weeds, and requires more irrigation and fertilizer. According to some studies cited by the farmers, transgenic seed may cause health problems, including placental damage, lymphoma and myeloma.
On January 31, family farmers, organic seed growers, and sustainable farm advocates traveled to New York City to take part in the first phase of the lawsuit and to be present as Judge Naomi Buchward heard arguments on Monsanto’s motion to dismiss the case. A ruling was expected in March. We should all be aware that this historic lawsuit is going on and be ready to provide support where needed.