MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Monsanto suspends collection of royalties in Brazil following state court ruling
Growers say the patent on the original Roundup Ready soybeans expired in 2010 Monsanto, the world’s biggest seed company, suspended collection of royalties for its Roundup Ready soybeans in Brazil while it appeals a state court ruling on intellectual property rights.
An appellate court in Mato Grosso this week upheld an injunction requested by a group of growers to stop fee collections in the state before a trial challenging patents for the genetically modified beans. Monsanto will temporarily suspend the collections nationwide to “maintain operational consistency,” the St. Louis-based company said Wednesday on its website.
Growers say the patent on the original Roundup Ready soybeans expired in 2010, ending their obligation to pay Monsanto a technology fee on the seeds. Monsanto says that Brazilian law extends the patent to 2014, when it expires in the US. Monsanto is counting on growth in Latin America, particularly Brazil, to meet its earnings forecast.
Monsanto said it expects appellate courts to decide whether collections can resume over the next several weeks, prior to the start of the trial in state court.
The outcome of the case won’t affect sales of Intacta soybeans, a newly patented product engineered to produce insecticide and tolerate Roundup herbicide. Farmers are currently testing Intacta beans prior to full commercial sales next year.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentsBrazil.... Throw Monsanto out! They are killing the genetic diversity of plant-life in your country and overthrowing legitimate neighboring governments in order to do their evil. You can be a leader in the world by providing clean food from clean soils, and from non-GMO seeds. Stand up to Monsanto! Stand up!
Oct 18th, 2012 - 11:01 am 0Farmers.... Return to the time honored tradition of growing your crops with heritage seeds that you can save from year-to-year, and stop spraying your soils with poisons.
The small extra profits that you make from using genetically modified seeds and chemical poisons do not serve you when they kill your independence, and sicken your families and your countrymen who consume them. Rise up! Stand together! Resist Monsanto!
#1 - You have no clue what you are talking about. RR soybeans provide us with soybeans that resist the chemical compound glyphosate. This compound has a low toxicity especially compared to other chemicals that we would have to use in its place. Check the link below for technical information on the chemical.
Oct 18th, 2012 - 03:26 pm 0http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/dienochlor-glyphosate/glyphosate-ext.html
Without technology like this we would be forced to use harsher more toxic chemicals that do more harm to us farmers and the environment. And to ask us to return to our honored tradition of growing crops with heritage seeds is just crap. Those seeds you speak of are outdated, have low yield potential and thus are not economical to plant. And then to ask us to stop spraying our soils with poisons, just goes to show how ignorant you are on the subject. Without the use of herbicides and pesticides it isn't possible to feed the world. We would essentially loose our entire fields to insects and weeds. Go check out a farm someday and you will know what I am talking about.
And don't mention organics to me because those are highly expensive and the population doesn't demand it, thus we would go broke if we all tried to plant it. Plus we couldn't produce enough food for the world.
Go back to your city and just enjoy that you have food in your grocery store.
Another blow for Monsatan. Indeed at 1 Brazil should throw them out. I hope and I'm sure they , Monsanto, will loose their appeal at court in the Brazilian southern state Rio Grande do Sul.
Oct 18th, 2012 - 05:15 pm 0http://www.qwmagazine.com/2012/06/15/brazilian-farmers-win-2-billion-judgment-against-monsanto-2/
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!