Lawsuit against GMOs, Monsanto
Lawsuit seeks to invalidate Monsanto's GMO patents
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24103
Some points/quotes:
The suit points to studies citing harm caused by Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, including human placental damage, lymphoma, myeloma, animal miscarriages, and other impacts on human health.
The suit also confronts the propaganda that transgenic seeds improve yield and reduce pesticide use, citing reports on failure to yield and increased pesticide use. The complaint mentions a 2010 lawsuit by West Virginia after several studies contradicted yield results claimed in Monsanto's ads. And, it notes the growth in glyphosate-resistant superweeds.
This means, should the court agree, that all transgenic seeds fail this test of patent law:
"A new invention to poison people ... is not a patentable invention."
- Lowell v. Lewis, 1817
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"Over 85-90% of all soybeans, corn, cotton, sugar beets and canola grown in the U.S. contains Monsanto's patented genes."
The suit then concludes, "Monsanto's transgenic seed patents are thus invalid for violating the prohibition against double patenting."
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Contamination:
Monsanto admits that its product contaminates natural crops. That must be why it recently altered its Technology Stewardship Agreement to transfer liability for its products to the farmers who buy them.
The suit logically asserts that genetic contamination amounts to trespass on the property of those who do not want GE seeds, causing them substantial economic harm.
We saw that when Bayer's transgenic seeds contaminated a third of the US rice supply, causing the European Union to close its market to US rice. Bayer has faced 6,000 lawsuits due to that contamination and market closure. On top of lawsuits already lost or settled, last month, Bayer lost a $137 million lawsuit by Riceland Foods. The new suit notes that, "The worldwide total economic loss due to the [2006 GM rice] contamination event was estimated at $741 million to $1.285 billion."
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Noah - All the knocks against GMOs are coming out in this lawsuit. The mainstream media seems to be loathe to report on any of that.
One of the indications of "something darn near criminal" going on with GMOs is the fact that Non-GMO products CANNOT BE LABELED AS SUCH [if you sell a Non-GMO product, you cannot say so on the label, by LAW!!}.
This lawsuit alerts us to the fact that 90% of corn, canola, sugargbeets and cotton are GMO. Who knew? - nobody said a thing to consumers. We have been eating GMOs and we didn't know it.
Another reason this lawsuit is significant is that it mentions the health effects on humans. The lawsuit introduces as evidence the studies have been done that conclude GMOs causes lymphoma and myeloma, putting that information into the "official public sphere" for this first time. {our fabulous health authorities do not say anything to consumers of GMO products - whats up with THAT?? }
Where are the CATO types on this? They says they want a free market but Monsanto is all about Corporate Stalinism; various govt's at the federal/state/provincial level helped subsidize the GMO's all so that Monsanto could have a monopoly. Oddly the CATO bots ignore this and continue to bash welfare mothers. Interesting that!
ConAgra Sued Over GMO '100% Natural' Cooking Oils
excerpt:
Supermarkets Chock-full of GMOs
But what makes this lawsuit especially intriguing is its potentially far-ranging impact. According to the Center for Food Safety: "upwards of 70 percent of processed foods on supermarket shelves -- from soda to soup, crackers to condiments -- contain genetically-engineered ingredients." While it's unclear how many of these products also claim to be natural, given all the greenwashing going on these days, it's likely to number in the thousands.
Specifically, up to 85 percent of U.S. corn is genetically engineered as are 91 percent of soybeans, both extremely common ingredients in processed foods. Numerous groups including the Center for Food Safety have been calling attention to the potential hazards of GMOs for years. From their website:
A number of studies over the past decade have revealed that genetically engineered foods can pose serious risks to humans, domesticated animals, wildlife and the environment. Human health effects can include higher risks of toxicity, allergenicity, antibiotic resistance, immune-suppression and cancer.
Not exactly the stuff that green hearts are made of. The legal complaint also notes that on its corporate website ("but not on the Wesson site that consumers are more likely to visit"), ConAgra implies that its oils are genetically engineered. The company concludes: "Ultimately, consumers will decide what is acceptable in the marketplace based on the best science and public information available."
But by being told the oils are "100% natural," consumers can no longer make an informed decision as they are being misled.
Which reminds me of a great quote from Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser: "If they have to put the word 'natural' on a box to convince you, it probably isn't."
From July 2011: 270,000 Organic Farmers Sue Monsanto
excerpt:
More than 270,000 organic farmers are taking on corporate agriculture giant Monsanto in a lawsuit filed March 30. Led by the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association, the family farmers are fighting for the right to keep a portion of the world food supply organic-and preemptively protecting themselves from accusations of stealing genetically modified seeds that drift on to their pristine crop fields.
Monsanto to Face Biopiracy Charges in India
The Darth Vader of agriculture loses another one:
Monsanto Guilty! France convicts big ag firm of chemical poisoning
Eight Ways Monsanto Fails at Sustainable Agriculture
From a friend: Bowman v. Monsanto: Indiana Farmer’s Supreme Court Challenge to Corporate Control of Food Supply
A David-versus-Goliath case heard by the Supreme Court this week pits a 75-year-old farmer from Indiana against Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company. The dispute began when soybean farmer Vernon Bowman bought and planted a mix of unmarked grain typically used for animal feed. The plants that grew turned out to contain the popular herbicide-resistant genetic trait known as Roundup Ready that Monsanto guards closely with patents. Monsanto accused Bowman of using their technology without paying for it. Their contracts with farmers give them the exclusive rights to supply the Roundup Ready soybeans. They sued Bowman for patent infringement.
I hope that he has the same success as Percy did in Canada. He eventually not only didn't have to pay Monsanto he also got a settlement from them for the contamination of his fields.
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
That's great - thanks, Krop!
More on Monsanto: a petition: Minister Ritz, Stop GM Alfalfa