Family Farmers Get Their Day In Court Against #Monsanto

By Leah Baines | via

On January 31st, family farmers will begin the first stage of a court case filed against agro-business powerhouse, Monsanto. The goal of the case, Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) vs. Monsanto, is to protect the 300,000 organic and non-GMO American farmers from the genetic trespass of Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds, which contaminate organic crops and often leave farmers vulnerable to harmful patent infringement lawsuits.

On January 31st, American family farmers will fight for their right to grow organic crops with fear of genetic trespassing against Monsanto. (Image credit: Food Democracy Now!)

Monsanto currently controls the genetics of nearly 90 percent of 5 major commodity crops including corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and sugar beets. Many farmers who do not use Monsanto seeds have had to stop growing their own crops in order to avoid genetic contamination from those used in fields nearby. According to OSGATA, Monsanto has “created an atmosphere of fear in rural America and driven dozens of farmers into bankruptcy.”

Food Democracy Now!, an organization working towards building a sustainable food system, says that Monsanto has filed 144 lawsuits against farmers, and settled out of court for undisclosed amounts of money for an additional 700 cases. These lawsuits leave farmers broke and unable to afford the legal costs associated with fighting Monsanto for something beyond their control in the first place.

More on Nourishing the Planet

13 Notes/ Hide

  1. seymourbuhts reblogged this from anonymissexpress
  2. ancharcaff reblogged this from anonymissexpress
  3. universalequalityisinevitable reblogged this from anonymissexpress
  4. newsandtrade reblogged this from anonymissexpress
  5. eddietg reblogged this from anonymissexpress
  6. anonymissexpress posted this