A statement of claim was filed by two Saskatchewan organic growers against Monsanto Canada and Aventis CropScience in January. Dale Beaudoin, Maymont; and Larry Hoffman, Spalding, allowed their names to represent all certified organic grain farmersin Saskatchewan so that the action could be brought under the Class Actions Act. The new act took effect January 1. The Saskatchewan Organic Directorate's (SOD) Organic Agriculture Protection Fund (OAPF) supports this act on behalf of certified organic grain farmers of Saskatchewan as a class, says Arnold Taylor, SOD president. If the action is certified as a class action, organic farmers in Saskatchewan (about 1,000) would be part of the suit unless they opt out. Organic farmers from other Canadian provinces may also be given the option of opting in. SOD is seeking compensation for lost markets it says organic growers suffered due to cross pollination between genetically modified canola (Roundup Ready and Liberty Link developed by Monsanto and Aventis, respectively) and organic canola. SOD says damages could add up to the millions of dollars. SOD also intends to take legal action against the release of transgenic wheat.
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