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The Green Guide

Organic Farmers in Court Battle
Against Monsanto & Aventis

CANADA: GM FIRMS SEEK DELAY IN ORGANIC LAWSUIT
April 17, 2002

From: Organic Newslione 4/25/02
<www.organicts.com>

The legal battle between organic farmers and Monsanto Canada and Aventis
CropScience got going in Saskatoon Court of Queen's Bench last week as the
GM giants asked for a delay to allow them to delay filing statements of
defence until after the court decides whether the suit can proceed as a
class action on behalf of all certified organic farmers in the province, and
possibly some from outside the province.

A hearing to determine if the suit can be certified as a class action is
expected to commence later this year, though no date has been set. If
allowed, it will be one of the first class-action suits filed in
Saskatchewan. For now, organic farmers Larry Hoffman of Spalding and Dale
Beaudoin of the Maymont area are the plaintiffs in the suit and claim that
Round-Up Ready canola sold by Monsanto, and Liberty Link canola sold by
Aventis (formerly known as AgrEvo Canada) are pollutants that have
contaminated their organic canola through natural cross-pollination from
neighbouring fields, making it impossible to sell.

The GM canola is now grown so pervasively in Saskatchewan that it has
essentially destroyed the organic canola market for local farmers, their
lawsuit claims. It also argues Monsanto and Aventis violated environmental
laws by not conducting environmental impact assessments before releasing the
seeds.

The two companies are negligent for failing to make sure GM canola would not
infiltrate neighbouring farms, and for failing to tell farmers who bought
the GM seeds how to limit the spread of their crops, the lawsuit claims. It
also asks for an injunction against the release of GM wheat, which is
currently poised for introduction on the commercial market.