Report on the lawsuit that challenges the ownership of life by corporations

Monsanto, the giant multinational agro-chemical company, sued Percy Schmeiser over the presence of their patented canola that had invaded the edges of Schmeiser’s field from a neighbor’s plot. The Schmeiser case has become one of the most watched and most important cases for organic farmers, seed savers, for the movement against the invasion of the biosphere by genetically modified plants, and against corporate ownership of life.

Schmeiser was recorded in Ukiah, CA, in November 2006. He gave a report of his multi-year legal battle to save his land and home, and his 50 year legacy as plant breeder from being seized by Monsanto over 12 pounds of invading seeds. After two shattering losses in court he finally won a partial victory in the Canadian Supreme Court. However the court upheld Monsanto’s patent rights - even when their genetically modified canola invades another field or cross pollinates with organic or pedigree canola or even their relatives. Any invaded organism becomes the property of Monsanto as well. Under globalization the patent rights may apply to the US as well.

Percy Schmeiser is a Canadian farmer from Bruno, Saskatchewan. He took over the family farm in 1947. He and his wife are known on the Prairies as seed savers. Over 50 years they developed a canola seed that was resistant to disease and lost their life’s work by contamination from genetically modified canola. <http://www.percyschmeiser.com>

He is joined by UC Berkeley microbiologist Ignacio Chapela who asks: Can genetically engineered plants and animals not only make us sick when we eat them but can there be a horizontal gene transfer between their genes and other life - including ours - since all genes are related. Are we modifying the human DNA as we modify the related DNA of plants and animals? Chapela teaches at UC Berkeley. In October 2000 he discovered the contamination of Mexican corn with Monsanto GMO corn. 

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For a broadcast quality mp3 version of Part TWO click HERE

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28 second Preview/Promo Part ONE
28 second Preview/Promo Part TWO