The most famous lawsuit in which the agro chemical giant Monsanto sued a family farmer and seed saver whose canola crop was contaminated by their genetically engineered seed. Initially Monsanto won in federal court in Canada but Schmeiser fought on for ten long years. Here is his story told by Schmeiser in his own words.Â
Canadian family farmer Percy Schmeiser is turning the tables on Monsanto. After almost ten years of hardship, fighting for the survival of his own farm and for farmers' rights to be free from contamination, to grow healthy food and to save their seed from year to year, it was that humble small claims lawsuit that turned the tide.
As Schmeiser had predicted, Monsanto's fierce legal battle to assert ownership over their GMO product backfired. On March 19, 2008 Monsanto settled out of court, paying $660. There is no gag-order on the settlement and Monsanto can be sued again if further contamination occurs. Schmeiser believes this precedent setting agreement ensures that farmers will be entitled to reimbursement when their fields become contaminated with Roundup Ready canola or any other unwanted GMO plants.
Percy Schmeiser is a Canadian farmer from Bruno, Saskatchewan. He took over the family farm in 1947 when he was only 16. He and his wife Louise are known in the Prairies as seed savers. Over 50 years they developed a canola variety that was resistant to disease. They lost their life's work through contamination by Monsanto's genetically modified canola.
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