Hundreds of farmers throughout the United States have joined forces and filed suit against Swiss company Syngenta over genetically modified (GMO) corn seed. The suit alleges that Syngenta failed to obtain approval of the seed from China (a major importer of U.S. corn) before selling it to farmers.
In 2013, China refused all corn imports from the U.S. Although not all farmers used GMO corn seed, all corn became contaminated through cross-pollination, prompting China to ban all U.S. corn imports. The suit alleges that Syngenta's failure has reduced our nation's corn exports by 85 percent, driven down corn prices, and caused farmers to suffer substantial monetary losses. Some grain exporters have also sued Syngenta over the GMO corn seed.
GMO corn seed such as Viptera and Duracade are manufactured to mitigate harm to crops that can be caused by pests like cutworms and earworms. Many countries still accept U.S. corn imports, but China is one of the world's leading importers of U.S. corn.
The jurisdiction of many of the lawsuits against Syngenta has been transferred to the same federal court in Kansas, meaning the same judge will handle all the cases. Every corn producer and seller has the potential to recover compensation for years 2011-2014 whether or not they used Syngenta brand corn.