Posted October 28, 2013
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation announced that lawsuits brought against Monsanto over genetically modified (GMO) wheat found in an Oregon farmer’s field will be consolidated in Kansas, according to an AgProfessional article available here.
The cases will be sent to U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil in Kansas City for pretrial evidence gathering.
Lawsuits were filed beginning in June after an Oregon farmer found glyphosate-tolerant (“Roundup Ready”) wheat growing in his field. Fifteen years ago, Monsanto conducted field tests for Roundup Ready wheat, but it abandoned the project after it found that trading countries would not accept the wheat. It remains unknown how the wheat variety got into the Oregon field.
The lawsuits claim that the unauthorized release has damaged wheat prices and export markets, according to a Capital Press article available here. The cases also seek class action status that would allow other growers to join the litigation.
The panel decided that Kansas would be the appropriate forum because it is relatively close to the Monsanto headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., “where the majority of common evidence is likely to be located, including the witnesses and documents concerning Monsanto’s field testing of genetically engineered wheat.”
The Center for Food Safety, a non-profit group, and one of the plaintiffs wanted the case to be consolidated in Oregon or Washington, while Monsanto requested St. Louis.
Monsanto said it was pleased with the consolidation decision, stating that the company is confident that it properly followed protocols in ending the field test program in 2005.
For more information on biotechnology, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
Share: