The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
May 14, 2013

Supreme Court Sides Unanimously With Monsanto in Seed Patent Case 
------------------------------------------------------------------


 
The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of Monsanto in a
case about the use of its patented seeds. Indiana farmer Vernon Hugh
Bowman had been ordered by a lower court to pay more than $84,000 after
planting a mix of seeds he bought from a grain elevator. Some of the
plants contained Monsanto’s herbicide-resistant genetic trait known as
Roundup Ready, which is found in roughly 90 percent of U.S. soybeans.
Monsanto accused Bowman of using their technology without paying for it
and the Supreme Court agreed, finding farmers must pay Monsanto every
time they plant its seeds. While the case could have wide implications
beyond agriculture, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that Monday's ruling was
"limited — addressing the situation before us, rather than every
one involving a self-replicating product."

 

.