4 ms·

It's my understanding Monsanto isn't a company that relies on free markets. They use lawyers heavily. If their seeds blow from a customer's farm to a non cust

It's my understanding Monsanto isn't a company that relies on free markets. They use lawyers heavily. If their seeds blow from a customer's farm to a non customer's farm and the non customer doesn't actively try to remove the Monsanto seeds, they sue. They are like the seed mafia.

Tichy 14y ago
And do they win such claims? Seems to me the farmer whose field was polluted should be able sue for damages instead?
- knieveltech 14y ago
  Your average farmer doesn't have the resources required to field a lawsuit against a multi-national company.
  - Tichy 14y ago
    Then that seems to be a flaw in the law system. Still, even if they don't start it, why would the company win frivolous claims?
    - knieveltech 14y ago
      Surely you don't think that frivolous claims are never won?
      - Tichy 14y ago
        Not sure, certainly they shouldn't be won as a rule. Maybe there are exceptions, but it shouldn't be just a case of whoever hires the most expensive lawyers wins.
        knieveltech 14y ago
        There's a massive gulf between "shouldn't" and "isn't". :/
        Tichy 14y ago
        So basically you are saying the legal system (in the US?) is worthless?
        knieveltech 14y ago
        Draw your own conclusions.
        deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
- va_coder 14y ago
  "Monsanto won its case against Parr, but the company, which won't comment on specific cases, has stopped its legal action <edit>for PR reasons</edit>against the Runyons." http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html
stevoski 14y ago
"If their seeds blow from a customer's farm to a non customer's farm and the non customer doesn't actively try to remove the Monsanto seeds, they sue" Got a source for that claim? There's an article on huffington post which conflicts with the claim: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/monsanto-lawsuit-organic-farmers-appeal_n_1385693.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/monsanto-lawsuit-or...
- EthanHeilman 14y ago
  "The Runyons say they signed no agreements, and if they were contaminated with the genetically modified seed, it blew over from a neighboring farm. "Pollination occurs, wind drift occurs. There's just no way to keep their products from landing in our fields," David said. "What Monsanto is doing across the country is often, and according to farmers, trespassing even, on their land, examining their crops and trying to find some of their patented crops," said Andrew Kimbrell, with the Center For Food Safety. "And if they do, they sue those farmers for their entire crop." " http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html
- smackay 14y ago
  Just enter "monsanto sues farmer" into your favourite search engine. The wealth of results, mostly partisan in nature however, would suggest that this is a significant issue.
- huxley 14y ago
  Not sure about the US but it's possible he's referring to Monsanto vs Schmeiser, a Canadian case. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Canada_Inc._v._Schmeiser http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Canada_Inc._v._Schmeis... In that case, Schmeiser's field was contaminated by his neighbour's field which was planted with Roundup resistant Canola seed. "... on the balance of probabilities, the defendants infringed a number of the claims under the plaintiffs’ Canadian patent number 1,313,830 by planting, in 1998, without leave or licence by the plaintiffs, canola fields with seed saved from the 1997 crop which seed was known, or ought to have been known by the defendants to be Roundup tolerant and when tested was found to contain the gene and cells claimed under the plaintiffs’ patent. By selling the seed harvested in 1998 the defendants further infringed the plaintiffs’ patent."

Tichy 14y ago

And do they win such claims? Seems to me the farmer whose field was polluted should be able sue for damages instead?

knieveltech 14y ago
Your average farmer doesn't have the resources required to field a lawsuit against a multi-national company.
- Tichy 14y ago
  Then that seems to be a flaw in the law system. Still, even if they don't start it, why would the company win frivolous claims?
  - knieveltech 14y ago
    Surely you don't think that frivolous claims are never won?
    - Tichy 14y ago
      Not sure, certainly they shouldn't be won as a rule. Maybe there are exceptions, but it shouldn't be just a case of whoever hires the most expensive lawyers wins.
      - knieveltech 14y ago
        There's a massive gulf between "shouldn't" and "isn't". :/
        Tichy 14y ago
        So basically you are saying the legal system (in the US?) is worthless?
        knieveltech 14y ago
        Draw your own conclusions.
        deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
va_coder 14y ago
"Monsanto won its case against Parr, but the company, which won't comment on specific cases, has stopped its legal action <edit>for PR reasons</edit>against the Runyons." http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html

stevoski 14y ago

"If their seeds blow from a customer's farm to a non customer's farm and the non customer doesn't actively try to remove the Monsanto seeds, they sue" Got a source for that claim? There's an article on huffington post which conflicts with the claim: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/monsanto-lawsuit-organic-farmers-appeal_n_1385693.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/monsanto-lawsuit-or...

EthanHeilman 14y ago
"The Runyons say they signed no agreements, and if they were contaminated with the genetically modified seed, it blew over from a neighboring farm. "Pollination occurs, wind drift occurs. There's just no way to keep their products from landing in our fields," David said. "What Monsanto is doing across the country is often, and according to farmers, trespassing even, on their land, examining their crops and trying to find some of their patented crops," said Andrew Kimbrell, with the Center For Food Safety. "And if they do, they sue those farmers for their entire crop." " http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-4048288.html
smackay 14y ago
Just enter "monsanto sues farmer" into your favourite search engine. The wealth of results, mostly partisan in nature however, would suggest that this is a significant issue.
huxley 14y ago
Not sure about the US but it's possible he's referring to Monsanto vs Schmeiser, a Canadian case. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Canada_Inc._v._Schmeiser http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Canada_Inc._v._Schmeis... In that case, Schmeiser's field was contaminated by his neighbour's field which was planted with Roundup resistant Canola seed. "... on the balance of probabilities, the defendants infringed a number of the claims under the plaintiffs’ Canadian patent number 1,313,830 by planting, in 1998, without leave or licence by the plaintiffs, canola fields with seed saved from the 1997 crop which seed was known, or ought to have been known by the defendants to be Roundup tolerant and when tested was found to contain the gene and cells claimed under the plaintiffs’ patent. By selling the seed harvested in 1998 the defendants further infringed the plaintiffs’ patent."