When you listen to and read what happened to Percy Schmeiser there is no other conclusion that terror was used in how big business, government and courts delt with him.
Monsanto a multi national company with patents on GMO (genetically modified organism) canola seed.
Who Owns Life? by Lynne Jackson
ALBANY, NY — The First Lutheran Church was the setting for the talk by Percy Schmeiser, the Canadian farmer being sued by Monsanto for patent infringement. Speaking to a standing room only crowd of more than 300, Percy spoke plainly and clearly about the lawsuit and what it means to everyone in the world.
Percy described himself as a seed saver and seed developer. A seed saver is a farmer who saves seed from one year to the next so that he has seed to plant the next year, and does not need to buy seed. His crop was canola, also known as rapeseed. He and his wife Louise spent 50 years developing canola seeds that would grow well in his part of the world — Bruno, Saskatchewan, about 250 miles north of the border of Montana. His farm is about 1400 acres in size, an average size farm for the plains.
In 1998, Monsanto sued Percy for patent infringement. Monsanto said that it had found GMO (genetically modified organism) canola seed in Percy's field, and that Percy had to pay a $15 an acre fee for using its patented GMO seed.
The GMO canola plants got into his fields by the wind blowing pollen or seed onto his land.
The federal judge decided that it did not matter how the GMO crops got into his field, he must pay Monsanto their fee of $15/acre. In addition, the judge ordered that Percy pay Monsanto all of the profits from his 1998 crop, and that he must turn over all of the plants and seeds to Monsanto. Two of Percy's fields were not contaminated with Monsanto GMOs and 60% of the GMOs Monsanto found were in the ditch by the road.
This ruling may have world-wide consequences. This is the first case of its kind in the world. Though obviously the decision of the Canadian Supreme Court is not binding on other countries, it will set a precedent that other countries may look to when confronted with similar cases.
Who can patent life?
In this case, it is a single gene put into the canola seed that makes the canola plant immune to the herbicide roundup. Because Monsanto put this single gene into the canola plant, does this mean that Monsanto can patent the entire plant?
Percy then went on to explain why Monsanto become the one of the biggest seed companies when it used to be one of the biggest chemical companies. About five years ago, the patent on Roundup ran out. Roundup is an herbicide sold by Monsanto. It constitutes 45% of Monsanto's sales and 25% of Monsanto's profits. Monsanto went on a buying spree and spent $2 billion to buy seed companies.
Monsanto went on to develop genetically modified seeds that were immune to Roundup. They sold these seeds to farmers, promising a greater yield and less need to use chemicals.
Percy described Monsanto's tactics in selling seeds to farmers. Farmers are not allowed to save their seed from year to year, they must buy the seed from Monsanto. The farmer must permit the Monsanto police force to go on their land for three years, even though the contract is for one. And, the contracts states that the farmer will not sue Monsanto for any reason.
The Monsanto police are often former Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Percy has photographed them coming onto a farmer's field, without the farmer's permission, and taking samples of the canola plants.
According to Percy, for farmers that do not buy seed from Monsanto, Monsanto will fly a helicopter over a farmer's field and drop some Roundup herbicide. Then, a couple of weeks later, Monsanto will return. If the canola plants are still alive, that means they contain the patented gene. Monsanto will send farmers a letter asking for payment of the "Technology Fees"; Percy called these "extortion" letters.
What are some of the bigger issues with GMO plants? First, there is no such thing as containment. The GMO plants produce seeds that are spread through wind, flood, birds, and the pollen is spread through bees. Once these organisms have been released into the environment, there is no calling them back. Next, there is no co-existence; these GMO plants destroy both organic and conventional farmers crops. Percy said, "I cannot grow canola. Choice is taken away. Can you recall a life-form from the environment? No."
Loading...
7:23
Our food supply is in peril & it's not right! Pt. 1by JCVdude2,556 views
Thank you Mr JCV; Your videos are awesome!
infoD1 2 weeks ago
unfortunately we are dealing with a corrupt legal system
victon4408 2 weeks ago
this is just aweful.....how can these bastards patent a plant or an animal? these farmers feed all of us and we should stand up and help them fight back...before it's too late if it isn't already!
creedstat 2 weeks ago
Impeach Harper! We still havent banned Asbestos? are you kidding? Ban asbestos Ban GMOs Ban Harper! Harper is sick!
ChaosDisaster777 1 month ago
Farmers Rights All the Way!
ChaosDisaster777 1 month ago
Keep up the Good fight . I have sent a letter to every MP in Canada over Bayer Crop Science and The Mass Bee Die Off and Pronto pesticide. Not one reply... British Beekeepers association has taken $300,00 in bribes by four pesticide companies going as far as to label "Bee Friendly" "Bee Safe" on these pesticides.
Greed seems to blind these Corporations to the fact we are and have been destroying our Air and Land..Feels like we are being Eliminated.
joecanukk 11 months ago
@gilraen789
Farmers can choose to grow anything they wish.
Schmeiser is the thief, his neighbors turned him in.
Les
CouldNotCareLes 1 year ago
CouldNot CareLes-I support Mr. Schmeiser. It is Monsanto that is the thief-thief of the livelihood of farmers who want to choose to grow something other than GMO products and thief of the right of consumers to eat organically grown products.
gilraen789 1 year ago
@gilraen789 -
Why would anyone defend a thief?
Les
CouldNotCareLes 1 year ago
MONSANTO needs to be banned from Canada...
mukadaymaengun 1 year ago