The United States is the world’s largest exporter of corn, with exports totaling $9.6 billion, accounting for 32.3% of all exported corn. It’s no wonder that many of the nation’s corn growers were upset when they found out they had been sold seeds that weren’t approved in China. Syngenta’s Viptera and Duracade GMO corn seeds were sold to U.S. farmers, touting their resistance to certain pests. However, when those crops were harvested and shipped, China refused to accept them because they require GMOs to be approved before they will accept imports. The farmers who purchased Syngenta’s GMO seeds recently learned that their $1.51 billion lawsuit verdict has been approved, as Ohio’s County Journal reports.
On December 7th, Judge John Lungstrum of the U.S. District Court for the district of Kansas issued a final order granting the $1.51 billion dollar settlement.
The lawsuit, which has spanned many years, and many different litigants. The litigants are made up of farmers, grain handling facilities, and ethanol plants as well as any producer who owned any interest in U.S. corn for sale.
This final order, which overruled objections from class members who did not favor the settlement, also set aside one-third of the settlement for the attorney’s fees of the plaintiff’s lawyers.
The next step will be to see if any of the class members appeal the settlement. If there are no appeals, payments to those who are eligible could begin as early as the second quarter of 2019.
Were you affected by Syngenta’s Viptera or Duracade seeds? We can help. Call today.