Bayer CropScience agreed here late Friday to pay up to $750 million to farmers in Missouri and four other states to settle lawsuits over contamination of the U.S. rice supply by LibertyLink genetically modified rice in 2006.
"It was a devastating blow to a lot of rice farmers, and I'm tickled to death that we've finally reached a settlement where Bayer for the first time has offered to make it right to these farmers," said St. Louis lawyer Don Downing, who was co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs.
"I think it sends a signal to those who develop genetically modified seeds that they need to keep those seeds very carefully contained until they're approved for human consumption," Downing said.
But, he added, "We were very careful all along … not to say that these lawsuits are anti-GMO (genetically-modified organisms) because many of our farmers use GM crops."
Bayer, based in Germany, released a statement that read, in part, "Although Bayer CropScience believes it acted responsibly in the handling of its biotech rice, the company considers it important to resolve the litigation so that it can move forward focused on its fundamental mission of providing innovative solutions to modern agriculture."
Bayer can't even take responsibility for the contamination even with they settle a law suit - OMGosh. Bayer's Mission in my view is "providing innovative ways to create diseases and destroy the health of people (and our children) who eat their modern agriculture.". Mother nature knows better and is able to outsmart weed controlled crops. We have to stop putting poison into Mother Earth and expecting good things to come from it. Mom's know and see that when they change the diet to organic foods and remove GE foods and toxic herbisides from our food plates, our kids improve or get completely better. Like Zen Honeycutt of Moms Across America says, they can't fire us and we won't go away quietly unheard and I say that we won't stop until we Reclaim our Food Supply to afford us moms with food options that offer nutrient-dense foods that supply nutrition and support health and life. We Americans deserve safe precautionary measures and safe food and a safe environment and all levels of our government and safety departments meant to be set in place are failing dramatically at protecting us.
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