In May 2013, SCOTUS came down with a unanimous decision confirming the right of Monsanto to patent genetically altered weed-resistant seeds. The Court ruled that a farmer in Indiana had violated Monsanto's intellectual property rights by planting "saved seeds." For you city slickers, "saved seeds" is an age-old practice employed by farmers in which the seed from a current year's crop is saved to be planted the following growing season. Monsanto objected to this practice on the premise that its intellectual property rights were being violated and the Supreme Court agreed.

A few years ago, I was involved in a very similar case in which a farmer in Mississippi purchased from Monsanto patented, genetically altered, weed-resistant seeds. The farmer saved the seeds, which he planted the following growing season. Aware of the situation, Monsanto instigated litigation, seeking an injunction against the farmer for growing and harvesting the seeds. Suffice it to say that the Mississippi district court granted summary judgment to Monsanto and awarded damages and legal fees to the company.

Related: Read "King Corn"

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