Biotech Corn Enters Export Minefield:MIR162 lawsuits could carry heavy consequences for U.S. farmers

摘要

Locked in a biotech corn battle that might set major legal precedent, one side is claiming free market protections while the other points to the consequences of a poisoned export well.On Sept. 12, Cargill filed a lawsuit in Louisiana against Syngenta for selling genetically engineered Agrisure Viptera seed corn to U.S. farmers and is claiming losses of more than $90 million. Viptera contains the MIR 162 trait, which boosts insect resistance. When China slammed its import doors on MIR162, the entire Chinese corn product market was essentially shuttered to U.S. export firms. Following Cargill, Trans Coastal Supply Company launched a second suit in Illinois against Syngenta and MIR 162,claiming losses exceeding $41 million. On Oct. 3, U.S. farmersin Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska stepped in, launching class-action suits against Syngenta, seeking more than $1 billion.