Monsanto & Biotech Monopolies Sued for Forcing Frankencrops Seeds on Farmers

From: Twittman@aol.com
Jan. 19, 2006

Monsanto and others are sued for spreading GM food

Six farmers from France and the United States have launched a lawsuit
against Monsanto and other corporations involved in genetic engineering of
crops. The lawsuit, filed early this year in Washington DC, alleges that
Monsanto, the Dow Chemical Company, AstraZeneca and Novartis International
formed a cartel in an attempt to monopolize the genetically modified (GM)
maize and soya seed markets. The law suit also claims that the so-called
cartel exerted influence over the non-GM industry, made deceptive statements
to make genetically engineered seeds appear desirable to farmers and imposed
excessive Otechnology fees¹ upon them.

Corky Jones and his three sons, who farm 1,100 hectares of maize and soya in
the US state of Nebraska, have decided to turn their back on the technology
of the GM industry. This, he explains, is not going to be easy: OWe don¹t
know what damage has been done to the farm already. Nobody will tell us
whether our land or even our machinery is contaminated [with genetically
modified seed] and thus whether or not we will be able to sell our crops
next year free of any genetically modified organisms. Also, on a more
practical note, there is very little seed available now that can be classed
as clean and by concentrating on this new technology the major seed
companies have allowed their gene pools to shrink, reducing the varieties
available to us. This new technology has had the effect of concentrating
power in the agricultural industry into one or two very powerful companies
who appear to be able to ride roughshod over everybody ­ including the
farmers and the Government.¹

Farmers are hanging great hopes on the case¹s outcome, says Jones. OA
victory in this lawsuit will allow family farmers of the world to retain
ownership of their seeds, their farms and produce a food supply that is
safe, adequate and reasonably priced for all consumers.¹

John Swire

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This GMO news service is underwritten by a generous grant from the Newman's
Own Foundation, edited by Thomas Wittman and is a production of the
Ecological Farming Association www.eco-farm.org
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