Syngenta lawsuits consolidated in Kansas court

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  Lawsuits over Syngenta’s Viptera corn have been consolidated as a multidistrict litigation.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Lawsuits over Syngenta’s Viptera corn have been consolidated in United States District Court in Kansas as a multidistrict litigation.
  In the lawsuits, agricultural companies claim they have sustained economic losses as a result of the presence of the genetic trait MIR162 in the U.S. corn supply.
  “Corn farmers, grain elevator operators and corn exporters have all suffered significant economic damages as a result of Syngenta’s release, promotion and commercialization of a certain genetically engineered corn trait – MIR162 – into the United States corn production system,” the lawsuits say. China has not yet approved MIR162 corn seeds including Viptera and Duracade.
  According to official court documents, agricultural entities that have filed Syngenta corn lawsuits say the company allegedly made false claims in order to convince farmers to plant the genetically modified seed known as Agrisure Viptera prior to China’s approval of the product. Specifically, the company launched a “Plant with Confidence campaign”, according to court documents. Aimed at domestic corn farmers, the marketing campaign allegedly assured farmers that China’s decision to approve the corn was imminent, and that Viptera corn seed could be safely planted side by side with other seed, according to court documents.