More Crops Briefs, Jan. 26

Viterra shares stumble after disappointing Q4 Reuters / Shares of Viterra fell sharply after the grain handler reported disappointing quarterly results. The company reported lower-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings of three cents a share, although revenue of $3.1 billion topped expectations. CEO Mayo Schmidt said the results were “definitely disappointing.” However, for the year, Viterra’s profit jumped

Pioneer’s Patent Policy Explained

The patent on Roundup Ready 1 (RR1) soybeans has expired, but new patents will protect Pioneer Hi-Bred s new soybean varieties coming to market next spring. We want to be very clear so that our customers are well positioned to make informed choices for the next season without any misunderstanding, Pioneer Hi-Bred president Ian Grant


Farmers Turn To The Web To Burnish Image

October is a busy month for Kansas farmer Darin Grimm. With 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans to harvest, the third-generation family farmer is running a combine nearly dawn to dusk. But he still makes time to tweet. Whether it s touting the benefits of a new fertilizer, sharing photos of a newborn calf, debating

DuPont Suit Claims Monsanto Infringed Corn Patent

REUTERS / DuPont s Pioneer seed unit has sued Monsanto Co., claiming its arch-rival infringed on patents that help genetically modified corn seeds germinate. The suit, filed Oct. 18, is the latest volley in a bitter fight between the duo for dominance in the lucrative U.S. corn seed industry. In its lawsuit, filed in United


Agribusiness Giants Can’t Escape Market Volatility

You know commodity trading conditions are tough when even firms that sit on both the buy and sell sides of a market still suffer hefty losses. Such was the case with 140-year-old agribusiness giant Cargill, which recently reported a 66 per cent drop in earnings in the latest quarter over year-ago levels due to global

APAS President Resigns

BRIEFS Greg Marshall, president of the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan, has resigned from his position, citing health reasons, the association announced Oct. 6. Marshall is recovering from a heart attack. Mr. Marshall has provided valuable leadership on behalf of Saskatchewan producers, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud said. We have enjoyed a good working relationship with


Agent Orange Case Proceeds

briefs new york/reuters Monsanto Co. has lost a bid to close part of a lawsuit alleging the company caused health injuries to residents living near a plant that made the Vietnam War-era U.S. military defoliant Agent Orange. Monsanto, which operated a Nitro, West Virginia, chemical plant from 1934 to 2000, argued it was working as

Patent Infringement Trial Reduces Farmers’ Penalties

Farmers who breach patent law should expect to pay a price, but an Ontario lawyer says the price some farmers have been paying goes beyond what the law stipulates. I would say the public and farmers out there are being somewhat deliberately misinformed about what is a fair settlement, said Kurtis Andrews, a lawyer with


Monsanto’s “Unauthorized Growers List”

Farmers convicted of, or who admit to stealing Monsanto s technology aren t the only ones being banned from purchasing Roundup Ready crops. If somebody is completely uncooperative and not abiding by the terms of conditions, we ll put them on the unauthorized grower list, said Monsanto spokeswoman Trish Jordan. Under Monsanto s Technical Stewardship

Monsanto Wins Lawsuit Against Indiana Soybean Farmer

Monsanto Co. , the world s largest seed company, has prevailed in another lawsuit against a U.S. farmer, earning a ruling from a Federal Appeals Court that protects Monsanto s interests even when its patented seeds are sold in a mix of undifferentiated commodity seeds. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in