Why do biotech companies sue small family farmers for the use of their product if cross pollination occurs? The farmer may not have even have known something was wrong or different with his crop until a lawsuit is filed? What do biotech companies gain by destroying the small family farmer because of something natural, such as wind caused cross pollination?

Expert response from Jane A. Stautz

Global Product Stewardship & Sustainability Leader, Dow AgroSciences

Friday, 20/09/2013 18:02

This is a question that we've seen several times on GMO Answers, and a misperception that we'd very much like to correct. None of our companies has ever sued a farmer when trace amounts of our patented seeds or traits were present in the farmer's field as an accident or as a result of inadvertent means, such as through cross-pollination. As an industry, we support all forms of agriculture, regardless of farm size, ownership or philosophy.