Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
March 19, 2008
Monsanto Canada today announced that Mr. Percy Schmeiser has
agreed to settle the Small Claims court case he initiated
against Monsanto Canada related to unexpected Roundup Ready
canola volunteers on his chem-fallow field in 2005.
Mr. Schmeiser originally filed a statement of claim with the
Small Claims Court of the Provincial Court of Saskatoon, Civil
Division in October 2006 seeking reimbursement of costs of $660
for the removal of unexpected Roundup Ready canola volunteers
from his land.
Monsanto Canada had previously agreed to assist Mr. Schmeiser
with this specific issue in the fall of 2005 and pick up any and
all costs associated with this matter, but Mr. Schmeiser turned
down Monsanto's offer of assistance after refusing to sign
Monsanto's standard release form.
"Although we are pleased Mr. Schmeiser finally approached us and
agreed to settlement terms, it is frustrating that he
essentially accepted the same offer we put before him in 2005 at
the time we visited with him and offered him solutions to
address the presence of unexpected Roundup Ready canola
volunteers on his land," said Trish Jordan, public affairs
director, Monsanto Canada. "At the time, we chose to treat Mr.
Schmeiser the same as any other farmer who might find themselves
in a similar situation. This entire matter could have been
resolved more than two and a half years ago and Mr. Schmeiser
would have saved himself some legal costs."
Several other western Canadian farmers have willingly agreed to
similar settlement terms in order to have their individual
issues addressed by Monsanto. For example, in 2007, Monsanto
Canada assisted 16 farmers with addressing similar unexpected
Roundup Ready volunteer issues. In 2005 - the same year Mr.
Schmeiser experienced unexpected Roundup Ready canola volunteers
- Monsanto Canada assisted six different farmers with resolving
their particular situations and all costs were picked up by
Monsanto Canada. None of the farmers who previously accepted
Monsanto Canada's offer of assistance ever raised any issues
with signing Monsanto's standard release form.
Earlier this week, Mr. Schmeiser - through his lawyer -
approached Monsanto Canada and offered to settle this matter
prior to the scheduled hearing on the case set for Wed. March
19, 2008. Since the outcome was essentially the same offer
Monsanto had previously made in the fall of 2005, Monsanto
Canada settled with Mr. Schmeiser on terms agreeable to both
sides.
Terms of the settlement offer accepted by Mr. Schmeiser are as
follows:
Mr. Schmeiser will receive
$660.00 from Monsanto Canada - the purported cost he
incurred for removing Roundup Ready canola volunteers from
his specific field.
Mr. Schmeiser picks up all costs associated with filing this
statement of claim with the Small Claims Court,
Saskatchewan, Civil Division.
Mr. Schmeiser signs a release form absolving Monsanto Canada
from any further responsibilities for this issue. As such,
he releases and forever discharges Monsanto Canada from any
and all future claims made by Schmeiser Enterprises in this
particular matter, and all claims for recovery arising out
of the presence of Roundup Ready canola volunteers
discovered on this particular parcel of Mr. Schmeiser' land
in 2005. Monsanto Canada assumes no liability.
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