Monsanto vs. Nelson

Hey everyone! here is another story about Monsanto and some issues that had with Nelson farms. Let us know what you all think!

The Nelson family owns a farm in North Dakota and they are currently being sued by the mega giant Monsanto Farms. Monsanto is claiming that the Nelson family is using their genetically modified product, round up, without their permission. Although there has been no major source of evidence to back up Monsanto’s claims, they are still persisting with this case and hundreds of other against small farmers. The Nelsons are accused of saving seeds from a 1998 cropping of round up ready soybeans, but a court on March 22, 2010 found that this was not able to be backed up by any proof. The case has been very hard on the Nelson family because Monsanto is holding back a lot of information and has even failed to show up for court meetings in order to buy more time to find proof. The Nelson’s had bought round up ready seed to plant in 1998-1999 on soil that had been infested with pesticides, but they were only supposed to use it for that crop. Monsanto is accusing them of saving some seeds and still using them today. The Nelson’s claim that not only are they not using it, but it would impossible because they did not have enough to save any without having had a full crop in 1998.

Since Monsanto is failing to win ground currently inside the courtroom, they have taken to attacking the Nelson family ourside of the court room. They have written letters to at least 23 farmers in South Dakota asking them to refuse to sell anything to Nelson farms. Roger Nelson is your typical American farmer and has had his own farm since 1961. He now farms his land with his two sons and hopes to keep his family business going for a long time. Although they struggle with money, their farmland is mostly rented and their wives all have other jobs, they have a reputation as a good honest family and they refuse to let Monsanto take them down!