Seed-saver blitz

15 May 1998

Seed-saver blitz

BIOTECH company Monsanto, owner of the patents on genetically modified, Roundup-resistant soya beans, is threatening US farmers who save seed from these varieties with prosecution.

The company is reported to have already made out-of-court settlements with about 100 of them.

The settlements are understood to include financial penalties, agreements to destroy crops grown from the home-saved seed, and to allow inspection of those farms in future, in case further attempts are made to save GM seed.