The next issue covered in “Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear” was the biotechnological patents of genetically modified seeds. This being the second topic covered shows that the author’s intended audience is expected to have prior knowledge of Monsanto and the issues surrounding the business. The focus is the disruption of the process of saving seeds from one season to the next, which had always been a practice until the patents were put into place. When a farmer purchases Monsanto’s Roundup Ready seeds, they have to agree not to save the seeds for the next season’s planting. “This radical departure from age-old practices has created turmoil in farm country” (pg 163). The article conveys that it goes against a farmer’s practical sensibilities to throw away perfectly good seed, and even if a particular farm does not choose to grow Monsanto seed, wind and birds carry the patented gene/seeds in from neighboring farms, opening them up to lawsuits that …show more content…
After many years of legally purchasing Round Ready seeds through Monsanto, Vernon came up with a plan to avoid purchasing new seeds every year as well as renewing a contract. Vernon decided to buy soybeans from a local grainer knowing those seeds are mixed with Monsanto’s Round Ready soybeans and non-Round Ready soybeans. Vernon planted those seeds, sprayed with Roundup, and saved the seeds from the only plants that survived for next years’ harvest, which was Round Ready ones. Vernon repeats this process for serval years until he was finally caught in 2007. Monsanto decided to take action and sued him in 2007 for patent infringement. After being ruled by both Indiana Court and United States of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, owing Monsanto over $84,000, the case was brought up to the Supreme