Biotechnology - Lamson Dugan & Murray LLP

13 Nov, 2017

Turning Friends into Foes: Legal Fallout from Monsanto’s Dicamba

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:19-05:00November 13th, 2017|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Crop Damage Claims, Government Regulations, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Monsanto's dicamba has turned friendly neighbors into legal foes due to crops damaged by dicamba's inability to stay where it is supposed to be. With the soybean harvest basically complete, we are seeing more and more claims filed and litigation initiated. Farmers are calculating the effect that dicamba applied by a neighbor may have had on their fields. States like Arkansas, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Tennessee and Indiana are [...]

17 Jul, 2015

Syngenta Lawsuit Update: Fed. Ct. Sends Cases Back to State Court

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:20-05:00July 17th, 2015|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Syngenta cases u-turned back to state court On May 5th, 2015, United States District Judge, John Lungstrum sent two lawsuits against Syngenta back to the state courts in which they were originally filed. The decision appears to be a major strategic victory for plaintiffs looking to keep their claims in state court and a potential blueprint for others who may want to file a claim in state court. [...]

19 Dec, 2014

Viptera Approved: China Ends Import Ban On 3 GMOs

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:20-05:00December 19th, 2014|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Government Regulations, Midwest Agricultural Law|

China finally opens up to Viptera On December 17, 2014 China finally ended its import ban on Syngenta's Viptera corn and two varieties of GMO soybeans produced by DuPont Pioneer and Bayer Crop Sciences. The announcement is cause for great relief to the seed companies and U.S. grain exporters considering U.S. grain trading with China was shut down for all intents and purposes during the ban. Secretary of [...]

19 Nov, 2014

8th Circuit Intercepts Syngenta’s Attempt to Pass Viptera Problem to Bunge

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:20-05:00November 19th, 2014|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Midwest Agricultural Law|

As a follow up to Syngenta Under Pile of Lawsuits, the United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals recently broke up Syngenta Seeds, Inc.'s attempt to pass the Viptera problem to Bunge North America, Inc. In 2013 Syngenta tried to get ahead of the problems caused by China's ban of Viptera corn by suing Bunge for refusing to accept corn which contained the Viptera trait. Knowing Bunge would not accept [...]

14 Nov, 2014

Syngenta Under Pile of Lawsuits for Alleged Losses Caused by China’s Ban of Viptera Corn

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:20-05:00November 14th, 2014|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Midwest Agricultural Law|

The lawsuits against Syngenta for alleged losses due to China's ban of Viptera corn are starting to pile up. Nine such lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in October with more expected as producers jump on the pile started by Cargill in September. In 2011 Syngenta launched the Agrisure Viptera trait to producers after being deregulated by the United States Department of [...]

4 Jun, 2014

Follow-Up On Australian Genetically Modified Crop Contamination Lawsuit

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:21-05:00June 4th, 2014|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Crop Damage Claims, Midwest Agricultural Law, Organic and All Natural|

The landmark case has been decided in favor of genetically modified ("GM")crop production. As described in It Was Bound to Happen, Steve Marsh sued his neighbor, Michael Baxter, for alleging his organic fields were decertified because of contamination from Baxter's Roundup Ready canola. canola field Marsh never grew canola, and the scientific evidence presented at trial proved "none of the Marshes crops or sheep...could acquire any genetic traits of Roundup [...]

21 Feb, 2014

It Was Bound to Happen: Farmer Sues Neighbor for GMO Contamination

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:21-05:00February 21st, 2014|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Crop Damage Claims, Farm Management, Government Regulations, Midwest Agricultural Law, Organic and All Natural|

Everybody saw it coming. Sooner or later an organic farmer was going to sue a neighbor for genetic contamination of an organic crop. It has happened in Western Australia when Steve Marsh sued his neighbor, Michael Baxter, for allegedly contaminating Marsh's organic fields. RT.com The case will be monitored as groundbreaking for future cases worldwide. Marsh alleges that wind blew Baxter's Roundup Ready canola onto Marsh's farm resulting in a loss of organic [...]

18 May, 2013

Supreme Court Ruling Protects Monsanto’s Patent For Round Up Ready Seed

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:21-05:00May 18th, 2013|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Old US Supreme Court Chamber in Capital Bldg The U.S. Supreme Court ruled an Indiana farmer violated Monsanto's patent when he planted soybeans containing Monsanto's patented Round-Up ready genetics without paying Monsanto for the seed. The Court emphasized the ruling was limited to seeds, but the decision may affect self-replicating technology outside the ag world. Indiana farmer, Vernon Bowman, purchased Round-Up Ready soybeans from Monsanto for his first crop of the season. However, starting in 1999, [...]

10 Apr, 2012

Organic Farmers Appeal Monsanto’s Victory Regarding Patent Infringement Claims

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:23-05:00April 10th, 2012|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Midwest Agricultural Law|

In mid-March I posted this blog summarizing Monsanto's victory over a group of farmers and producers. The farmers were looking to prevent future patent infringment claims by Monsanto for inadvertent planting or harvesting seed contaminated by Monsanto's genetically modified seed. The following telephone coversation occurred shortly after the judge ruled in Monsanto's favor: Counsel for farmers: "Good afternoon, congratulations on obtaining the judgment in your favor, but surely you did not think we would [...]

15 Mar, 2012

Court Finds Monsanto Not Big Bad Wolf in Patent Infringement Claims

Sean Minahan2018-04-23T18:22:23-05:00March 15th, 2012|Biotechnology, Construction Contractor Advisor, Midwest Agricultural Law|

We all know the story about the boy who cried wolf, and we all know the lesson learned in the story. If not, shame on you and ask your kids. A United States District Court recently found 62 farmer organizations and seed businesses were crying wolf in a recent lawsuit against Monsanto. The 62 organizations were organic and non-organic crop and seed producers who did not want to buy, plant, harvest, or sell patented and genetically [...]