Syngenta, facing
huge damage claims from farmers, has filed court action against grain handlers,
blaming them for the 2013 rejection of corn exports to China.
The Chinese
found some of Syngenta’s genetically-modified corn variety, one that had not
been approved by the Chinese, in the shipments.
Syngenta has
filed a third party claim against Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and two
other smaller grain handlers.
The company
argues if Syngenta is blamed for damages due to the export rejection of
MIR162, commercial name Agrisure Viptera, then grain handlers are also at
fault for physically sending it to China and other governments before
receiving approval.
The claim was filed in the U.S. District Court of
Kansas.
Thousands of farmers are suing Syngenta over the
rejection, alleging that the company caused loss of corn sales and
resulted in economic losses all because they marketed Viptera before it had
approvals.
