How Monsanto uses brutal CIA style tactics to mess around with farmers’ lives

How Monsanto uses brutal CIA style tactics to mess around with farmers’ lives

Monsanto promotes a toll-free telephone number that allows farmers and businesses to place confidential calls to the company and to report suspected “infringement” activities by neighbors and customers.

In 1998, Monsanto reported in a press release that there were some 475 patent violation cases, generated from over 1,800 leads, being investigated nationwide

* Monsanto has filed 90 lawsuits based upon purported violations of its technology agreement and its patents on genetically engineered seed technology.60

* These cases involve 147 farmers and 39 small businesses/farm companies.61

Monsanto has sued farmers and small businesses/farm companies residing in 25 different states. Monsanto’s actions against American farmers have affected farmers nationwide. However, 46 of the lawsuits have been filed in Monsanto’s hometown jurisdiction of St. Louis, Mo.62 The forum selection clause contained in Monsanto’s technology agreement gives Monsanto this home field advantage.

“They say they don’t trespass—that’s bull,” one individual told CFS

The company went so far as to purchase an empty lot across the street to aid in its surveillance, and investigators watched patrons of Scruggs’ store from just 500 feet away.

In addition to sending threatening letters to farmers, Monsanto also distributes letters listing the names of farmers prohibited from purchasing its products to thousands of seed dealers each year. These letters often pressure farmers who wish to retain this purchasing right into settling out of court, regardless of the legitimacy of the company’s investigation. “It’s easier to give in to them than it is to fight them,” said one farmer who is still restricted from using Monsanto’s products as a result of challenging the company’s claims in court.

The largest recorded judgment made in favor of Monsanto as a result of a farmer lawsuit is $3,052,800.00.

Total recorded judgments granted to Monsanto for these lawsuits amount to $15,253,602.82.

For cases with recorded judgments, farmers have paid a mean of $412,259.54.