Globe and Mail
January 11, 2002

Prairie organic farmers sue two biotech firms

by Jill Mahoney

EDMONTON — Saskatchewan organic farmers, who say they want to protect their industry from genetically engineered crops, filed a class-action lawsuit yesterday against two biotechnology giants.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent Monsanto Canada from introducing genetically modified wheat, which the producers claim will contaminate their organic wheat crops and destroy their livelihoods. The farmers also want compensation from Monsanto Canada and Aventis CropScience Canada for damages allegedly caused by genetically modified canola, which they say has made it virtually impossible to grow certified-organic canola because of pollution from seed and pollen drift.

"Our very future is at stake," said farmer Arnold Taylor, the president of the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate, an umbrella group that launched the lawsuit on behalf of the province's estimated 1,000 organic grain farmers.

The lawsuit, funded by donations, does not specify the amount of damages sought from the two companies, but Mr. Taylor said it is "in the millions." The group's lawyer said a decision whether to certify the claim could come in the next few months.

Trish Jordan, a spokeswoman for Monsanto Canada, declined comment because the company is still evaluating the claim.

Steve Meister, a spokesman for Aventis CropScience Canada, said the company had not been served with the lawsuit and noted it does not comment on pending or current legal actions.

Mr. Taylor said the introduction of genetically modified wheat will deal a mortal blow to organic farmers. Monsanto Canada, which is conducting confined field trials of herbicide-resistant wheat, is expected to eventually seek market approval for the product.

"If GM wheat is released into the Saskatchewan environment on such an unconfined and commercial basis, organic-grain farmers will suffer irreparable harm," says the statement of claim, which was filed in Court of Queen's Bench and names farmers Larry Hoffman and Dale Beaudoin as plaintiffs.

Wheat is the largest export of the province's organic farmers.