Monsanto Wins Lawsuit While Food Justice Advocates 'Occupy' Food System

Organic seed farmer Jim Gerritsen: "This flawed ruling will not deter us from continuing to seek justice."

- Common Dreams staff
On a day that 'Occupy' groups, environmental and food justice organizations have called for a global day of action to resist corporate control of the food system, news comes that a federal judge has ruled in favor of seed giant Monsanto Co. in a lawsuit filed on behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations challenging the company's seed patents.


Reuters reports:

U.S. District Court Judge Naomi Buchwald, for the Southern District of New York, threw out the case brought by the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) and dozens of other plaintiff growers and organizations, criticizing the groups for a “transparent effort to create a controversy where none exists.” [...]

Daniel Ravicher, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said farmers stop growing certain crops to avoid being sued by Monsanto and the court's refusal to protect those farmers was a mistake.

“Her decision to deny farmers the right to seek legal protection from one of the world's foremost patent bullies is gravely disappointing,” said Ravicher. “Her belief that farmers are acting unreasonable when they stop growing certain crops to avoid being sued by Monsanto for patent infringement should their crops become contaminated maligns the intelligence and integrity of those farmers.”http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/27-0