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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSupreme Court Hands Monsanto Victory Over Farmers On GMO Seed Patents, Ability To Sue
The US Supreme Court upheld biotech giant Monsantos claims on genetically-engineered seed patents and the companys ability to sue farmers whose fields are inadvertently contaminated with Monsanto materials.
The high court left intact Monday a federal appeals court decision that threw out a 2011 lawsuit from the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association and over 80 other plaintiffs against Monsanto that sought to challenge the agrochemical companys aggressive claims on patents of genetically-modified seeds. The suit also aimed to curb Monsanto from suing anyone whose field is contaminated by such seeds.
The group of plaintiffs, which included many individual American and Canadian family farmers, independent seed companies and agricultural organizations, were seeking preemptive protections against Monsantos patents. The biotech leviathan has filed over 140 lawsuits against farmers for planting the companys genetically-engineered seeds without permission, while settling around 700 other cases without suing.
None of the plaintiffs are customers of Monsanto and none have licensing agreements with the company. The group argued that they do not want Monsantos genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) and want legal protection in case of inadvertent contact with the companys products.
The appeals court decision was based on Monsantos supposed promise not to sue farmers whose crops - including corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and others - contained traces of the companys biotechnology products.
MORE...
http://rt.com/usa/monsanto-patents-sue-farmers-547/
Court is brought and paid for no question.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)This is VERY bad. The only way we're going to fight this is to ban GMO altogether. Unfortunately, this president seems to be in Monsanto's pocket so I'm thinking that's not going to happen real soon.
djean111
(14,255 posts)The TPP will just sweep up whatever is left.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)companies and the corporations. We are surely going to starve to death now.
Berlum
(7,044 posts)hootinholler
(26,449 posts)I would think that to be spoilage by Monsanto's actions.
We need some legislation to establish the pecking order here.
cali
(114,904 posts)with their shit.
hootinholler
(26,449 posts)I just think the small farmer should have some protections.
mathematic
(1,440 posts)This was about farmers suing to prevent monsanto from suing them in the future. The subject here is pre-crime (or pre-civil-infraction). I'm not a lawyer or anything but the idea of suing to prevent somebody from suing you in the future seems strange at best.
Monsanto says they don't sue for unintentional infringement. The confusion comes from the (different) farmers that monsanto sued using "it was unintentional" as a defense for intentional patent infringement. If a large part of your crop uses monsanto seed, it's clear that the infringement wasn't unintentional. Indeed, the plaintiffs lawyer is this case maintains that this decision means monsanto cannot bring a suit for infringement if less than 1% of the crop is from monsanto seeds (a quote in the original reuters but left out of the RT rewrite). That actually seems like it's a best case scenario here. The organic farmers don't have to worry about suits for unintentional infringement and monsanto still has the rights to sue for intentional infringement.
laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)TroglodyteScholar
(5,477 posts)I trust em.
mathematic
(1,440 posts)I think they should have to prove infringement in a court of law. After all, that's what courts are for.
cali
(114,904 posts)sakabatou
(42,174 posts)sinkingfeeling
(51,473 posts)BarackTheVote
(938 posts)Tuesday Afternoon
(56,912 posts)ananda
(28,876 posts)What's with these fucking courts?
Have they all been compromised?
spanone
(135,874 posts)wanna bet they strike down Obama's recess appointments????
who the fuck knows.....
Berlum
(7,044 posts)How Republicon is that?
Cha
(297,655 posts)dickthegrouch
(3,184 posts)How can they possibly justify this kind of result?
What kind of corruption leads to this? How do we root it out?
Cha
(297,655 posts)want them.. Mexico kicked them out.. but, the fucking fascist plutocrats in AMerica insist they assist in killing off our Aina.
Hawai'i gets this.. Yay!
Our Island of Kaua'i gets this..
Kauai approves 'Right to Know' Bill 2491
The bill also requires buffer zones near schools, homes medical facilities, public roads, and waterways. It takes effect in nine months.
And, now GMO Companies are taking it to court.. a$$holes don't want anyone to know what poisonous shit they're spraying.. nor do they want "buffer zones" it would seem.
Kaua'i's Right to Know
countryjake
(8,554 posts)TroglodyteScholar
(5,477 posts)They are clearly fucking stupid.