• Garst is entitled to damages from Monsanto unit that denied access to seed under licensing agreement

• Syngenta, Garst and Golden Harvest® can bring more elite corn products to their customers under the NK®, Golden Harvest and Garst brands

A ruling by an arbitration panel has ordered Monsanto Company subsidiary Corn States Hybrids to pay damages of $598,360 to Garst Seed Company. This reimburses Garst for additional costs incurred in 2004 when it was forced to find a different source for certain of its hybrids.  Garst had sourced parent seed lines from Corn States since the early 1980s without incident.  In 2004, Corn States refused to supply the requested seed, forcing Garst to find a different source for its hybrids, rather than produce them itself as it had done in the past.  The arbitration panel found that Corn States’ actions were a breach of the contract.

The arbitration panel also ruled that Garst, Golden Harvest and Syngenta can bring more of the elite products Garst has developed through its license with Corn States to their customers under the familiar Garst, Golden Harvest and NK brands.  Corn States had claimed that its license for certain parent seed lines did not permit bringing those products to customers under the Golden Harvest or NK Brand names

These two decisions come a month after a Federal District Court ruled in favor of Syngenta in a case in which Monsanto alleged that Syngenta infringed on its patents in marketing the Agrisure™ GT glyphosate-tolerant biotech trait for corn.

“Once again, the justice system has made a ruling which results in a more open marketplace for growers,” says Jeff Cox, President of NAFTA corn and soybean seeds at Syngenta in Golden Valley, Minn.  “Growers deserve as many choices as possible from those of us who develop and supply the genetics and traits they need to increase their productivity. Free from another attempt by Monsanto to block us from doing that, Syngenta will continue to be aggressive in bringing growers high-quality products through the Garst, Golden Harvest and NK brands they know and trust.”

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology.  The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market.  Sales in 2005 were approximately $8.1 billion.  Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries.  Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT). 

Agrisure™, NK® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. 
Garst® is a trademark of Garst Seed Company. 
Golden Harvest® is a trademark of Golden Harvest Seeds, Inc.