GMO PatentsÉ

[CDRM]

I understand the benefits of patenting, but when it comes to GMOs I`ve heard nothing but bad news. When the GMOs blow into other farmers feilds naturally, farmers end up facing lawsuits from companies like Monsanto.

So, is this a case where patenting should be disallowed, or is there a middle ground somewhere. Something that will prevent farmers from being bankrupted by lawsuit, but still protect the GMO companies investment.:confused:

[Yoink]

I understand the benefits of patenting, but when it comes to GMOs I`ve heard nothing but bad news. When the GMOs blow into other farmers feilds naturally, farmers end up facing lawsuits from companies like Monsanto.

So, is this a case where patenting should be disallowed, or is there a middle ground somewhere. Something that will prevent farmers from being bankrupted by lawsuitd, but still protect the GMO companies investment.:confused:

Could you link to some specific cases of such lawsuits? It would help make the discussion more concrete.

[CDRM]

Could you link to some specific cases of such lawsuits? It would help make the discussion more concrete.

I can`t remember the specifics. I heard of these cases in documentaries like `The World According to Monsanto`and `The Future of Food`. I will try to find more specific information, though.

[CDRM]

Here is some links I found:

http://www.nelsonfarm.net/issue.htm
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/

[geni]

Here is some links I found:

http://www.nelsonfarm.net/issue.htm

In 2001. What was the outcome of the case? The record of farmers makeing such claims isn't too good.


http://www.percyschmeiser.com/

His big victory appears that he got Monsanto to pay some cleanup costs. Something we already knew they did (it came up in a previous court case that Monsanto won).

[Yoink]

Here is some links I found:

http://www.nelsonfarm.net/issue.htm


That case doesn't involve someone being sued because some seeds blew into their field; the allegation is that they illegally saved seeds from Monsanto plants and planted them in the following year. The allegation may or may not be true, but what is being alleged is a conscious and deliberate act. The report also dates from 2001; if it's that hard to find recent (and more troubling) cases then I'm not inclined to think that this is a very pressing issue.

[blutoski]

That case doesn't involve someone being sued because some seeds blew into their field; the allegation is that they illegally saved seeds from Monsanto plants and planted them in the following year. The allegation may or may not be true, but what is being alleged is a conscious and deliberate act. The report also dates from 2001; if it's that hard to find recent (and more troubling) cases then I'm not inclined to think that this is a very pressing issue.

The Nelsons' case appears [unresolved (http://www.nd.gov/oah/decisions/20010053-001.pdf)].

[Yoink]

The Nelsons' case appears unresolved.
Which doesn't change A) what was alleged in the case or B) the appearance that this is a less than pressing social issue.

[blutoski]

Which doesn't change A) what was alleged in the case or B) the appearance that this is a less than pressing social issue.

I agree with you.

My post was just intended to update the information in the thread.