300,000 Organic Farmers Sue Monsanto in Federal Court

300,000 Organic Farmers Sue Monsanto in Federal Court


SUNDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2012

Jane Ayers, Op-Ed

“Hundreds of citizens, (even including NYC chefs in their white chef hats) joined Occupy the Food System groups, ie Food Democracy Now, gathered outside the Federal Courts in Manhattan on January 31st, to support organic family farmers in their landmark lawsuit against Big Agribusiness giant Monsanto. Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association v. Monsanto) Oral arguments were heard that day concerning the lawsuit by 83 plaintiffs representing over 300,000 organic farmers, organic seed growers, and organic seed businesses.”

Here's a video: https://action.fooddemocracynow.org/...Va1BJ&rd=1&t=3 Sign the petition to show your support!

Over the weekend, we received the disappointing news that federal Judge Naomi Buchwald decided to dismiss the case of family farmers versus the chemical and biotech seed giant Monsanto. In Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) et al v. Monsanto, farmers who grow our food sought, once and for all, the protection of the U.S. courts from Monsanto’s abusive patent infringement lawsuits.
In what can only be called a travesty of justice, Judge Buchwald sided with Monsanto, stating that the farmers overestimated the threat posed by Monsanto’s genetic contamination of their crops. To further show her contempt, Buchwald added that it “strains credulity” that these farmers, all of whom have declared the desire to farm without Monsanto’s GMO seed, could “nevertheless find themselves unknowingly” using GMO seed in “significant quantities” and thus face a potential lawsuit.
Despite this ruling, we will move forward with our efforts to make sure that more Americans learn of the tragedy that is taking place across rural America. But we need your help.
Please join us in showing solidarity with family farmers everywhere. Click here to say: “I Stand with Farmers vs. Monsanto”. These farmers need you now more than ever.
https://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/545?akid=478.392272.Tc_OAE&t=9
Buchwald’s ruling was an insult to farmers everywhere and we believe that her flawed assessment that organic and non-GMO farmers have merely imagined the very real threat by Monsanto, who has aggressively pursued lawsuits for patent infringement against family farmers since 1997, entirely diminishes the great lengths that the seed and biotech giant has asserted to instill a climate of fear among rural America and farming communities during the past 15 years.
Judge Buchwald ruling wholly fails to take into account the significant economic harm and loss of livelihood that genetic contamination by Monsanto’s uncontrollable seed technologies inflicts on farmers’ legitimate right to grow food that they choose without the biologically certainty of eventual contamination.
Don’t let Monsanto get away with another tragedy against family farmers! Join us today in helping expose the injustices that they inflict on farmers as a result of their belligerent behavior.
This lawsuit is far from over. Please show the plaintiffs that citizens everywhere have their backs as they move forward - they need your support!
Sign this letter to show your support for the brave family farmers who stood up to Monsanto and support them as they move forward in their case. If you have signed already, please share with at least 5 of your friends.
action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/judge_sides_with_monsanto/