Podcast appearances and mentions of percy schmeiser

This episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by Crop Vitality and Thio-Sul, is a departure from normal no-till history, but no less important. This episode details how a single no-tiller by the name of Percy Schmeiser fought an army of lawyers as agribusiness giant Monsanto accused the farmer of stealing its Roundup-Ready canola seed. Perhaps you've seen one of the movies on the subject, including the recent Percy vs. Goliath major motion picture that was released in 2020 and starred academy-award winner Christopher Walken.

The story of Percy Schmeiser is a well known tale of big biotech against the little farmer from rural Saskatchewan. Schmeiser grew canola, and his outstanding harvests were due to herbicide tolerant seeds that he [...] The post 329 – Hollywood and the Percy Schmeiser Story first appeared on Talking Biotech Podcast.

Percy vs Goliath tells the real-life story of farmer Percy Schmeiser and his battle with the mighty Monsanto Corporation. Stars Christopher Walken (The deer hunter) and Christina Ricci (The Addams Family).

The most famous case in the history of Monsanto vs. small farmers might not be what you think.

In this episode we discuss the things and people who are hard to come by during the pandemic. We then discuss our final phase of the grow. What items we need to prepare for in order to have a great harvest. News of a seed bust in Spain. Then finally we talk about Percy Schmeiser. Why he is and why he has made such a great contribution to Grow Nation. 

Percy Schmeiser is a farmer from Bruno, Saskatchewan Canada whose Canola fields were contaminated with Monsanto's Round-Up Ready Canola. Monsanto's position is that it doesn't matter whether Schmeiser knew or not that his canola field was contaminated with the Roundup Ready gene and that he must pay their Technology Fee. When Percy Scheiser was speaking in to the Parliment in Capetown South Africa One of Monsanto's reps from Johannesburg shook his fist in Percy's face and exclaimed "Nobody stands up to monsanto, we're gonna get you, and we're gonna destroy you somehow..." Percy Schmeiser just passed away this is a repeat from show 164 New movie just released about his battle with monsanto Movie Trailer starring Christopher Walken Percy is a farmer and seed developers from Bruno, Saskatchewan Canada, growing Canola A judge ruled in favor of Monsanto GMOs and the superweeds problem Farmers using Monsanto's seeds are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) Extortion letters from Monsanto Free leather jacket for farmers who rat out their neighbours growing Monsanto's seeds A farmer's right to use seeds from his own produce year to year Adverse health effects of GMOs Once the modified gene enters the food chain, there is no containment There are no pure canola seeds anymore in Canada Mad science and science-based destruction GMO foods must be labelled Monsanto said that Agent Orange and Aspertame were safe too !!! Are we to believe them again when they tell us that GMOs are safe? No one should have the right to destroy nature  

Welcome to the The Food Professor podcast episode 11, I'm Michael LeBlanc, and I'm Sylvain Charlebois!Tilling the rich media soil: 1 in 5 Canadians started gardening during the pandemic - Sylvain take us through the latest research results from the Dalhousie Agri-Foods lab, and what does this mean for grocers and 2021?A chilling (or is that Chile) tale of food fraud: talk about the organic raspberry scandal, the scale and scope of food fraud of this sort overall, what your/the Lab's role was in the detective work and any lessons learned on how to catch these criminalsOur special guest: Tareq Hadhad CEO and Founder of Peace by Chocolate!  We talk to Tareq  about his family's story that is nothing short of incredible. An amazing journey of love and hope chronicled in the new book, Peace By Chocolate.We ask Tareq how has his experience influenced how he runs the company in Antigonish, Nova Scotia,  about how PBC has gone to market, and about the process getting onto the shelves at specialty retailers and a major Canadian retailer like SobeysSylvain wants to know what is so special about Syrian chocolate? What's unique about the products?Next we talk about the Federal Government moving to ban single use plastics - what comes next for the restaurant and take-out sectorAnd Sylvain remembers the late Percy Schmeiser as we discuss the new movie Percy, staring one of my fav. actors Christopher Walkin about a Saskatchewan farmer, canola and MonsantoOther movies about farmers:Field of DreamsInterstellarThe Martian Finally a Sneak Peek: Canadians shopping and paying for local produce - next study release from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab and Supply Chain 2.0!******If you liked what you heard you can subscribe on Apple iTunes , Spotify or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the grocery, foodservice,  or restaurant industry.    I'm Michael LeBlanc, producer and host of The Voice of Retail podcast and a bunch of other stuff, and I'm Sylvain Charlebois!Have a safe week everyone!

Mariane McGraw director of the second season of You Can’t Ask that on CBC Gem asks all the questions you would feel too awkward to ask yourself. It’s been a tough year for businesses, so it’s a delight when we get to celebrate a Canadian, women-led business that has seen its sales increase a whopping 77% in the last year. Neetu Godara, is the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of SoCIAL LITE Vodka and she joins me to share a little bit of the story behind their success. Parents have an unspoken expectation that their children are a reflection of their most enlightened selves. All your good qualities on display in a smaller, younger person. When the school calls about a behaviour issue, that expectation gets challenged or shattered. Not only are you feeling caught off guard, your blood pressure rises and you’re already imagining the end of your child’s life at your hands. Before you go off the deep end, take a deep breath and listen to what Aly Pain has to say on the issue. I’m starting to think that I should re-locate What She Said to Barbados after my interview with Tania Kedikian from DEVELOPMENT COUNSELLORS INTERNATIONAL (DCI), one of the leading consultancy companies in marketing places. Tania is here to inspire us to keep dreaming of travel with a few of their top destinations. Anne Brodie joins me to share details on Percy, a new film with Christopher Walken as the lead that chronicles the true story of Percy Schmeiser a Canadian organic canola farmer who stood up to American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto and won. Plus The Right Stuff, a new series from Disney and more great shows to fill your time. Suddenly finding yourself a widow is heartbreaking and challenging at the best of times. Under the umbrella of Covid, it can be especially difficult. Susan Kendal, has been through it and is here to help guide and inspire women through one of life’s greatest hardships with her new group Evolve for Widows.

Reporter Ed White of The Western Producer talks with Maneka Malalgoda, the University of Manitoba's new grain quality and processing professor, about her research on grain starch and protein chemistry; Western Producer digital editor Paul Yanko talks about the rich trove of online articles on its website about Percy Schmeiser […]

Reporter Ed White of The Western Producer talks with Maneka Malalgoda, the University of Manitoba’s new grain quality and processing professor, about her research on grain starch and protein chemistry; Western Producer digital editor Paul Yanko talks about the rich trove of online articles on its website about Percy Schmeiser […]

Happy Friday! We hope everyone is having a smooth start — or maybe middle, if you’re well underway — to their harvest and is staying safe out there. Thanks for joining us on RealAg Radio. Here’s what’s on the show today: A Friday issues panel, featuring the debut of Meagan Murdoch, with National Public Relations... Read More

Happy Friday! We hope everyone is having a smooth start — or maybe middle, if you’re well underway — to their harvest and is staying safe out there. Thanks for joining us on RealAg Radio. Here’s what’s on the show today: A Friday issues panel, featuring the debut of Meagan Murdoch, with National Public Relations... Read More

Farida Akther kommer fra Bangladesh, og jobber for at bøndene der skal fortsette å eie frøene til de forskjellige brinjal-sortene. De er redde for at store selskap skal komme og ta patent på frø som har blitt utviklet gjennom hundrevis av år av lokale bønder. Hva tenker du om at det går an å ta patent på en levende organisme, som er en del av naturen? Vi snakker med Akther, grunnleggeren av NGO-en Ubining som driver en frøbank i Bangladesh, Percy Schmeiser som har blitt saksøkt av Monsanto, og Vandana Shiva, grunnlegger av organisasjonen Navdanya, som jobber for kulturelt og biologisk mangfold i India. Bilde: Etiopisk bonde med teff korn. International potash institute

Do you know who Percy Schmesier is? He certainly made history serveral years ago proving that one person can make a difference! Percy Schmeiser is a canola farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the first farmer to win a law suit against Monsanto. This landmark case, which went before the Federal Court of Canada, has attracted international attention because it could help determine how much control a handful of powerful biotech companies can exert over farmers. Schmeiser believes this precedent setting agreement ensures that farmers will be entitled to reimbursement when their fields become contaminated with unwanted Roundup Ready canola or any other unwanted GMO plants. By popular request, listen to this special encore segment of The Organic View Radio Show, as host, June Stoyer talks to Percy Schmeiser about his battle with this agro-chemical giant. Do you like FREE stuff? Tune in to The Organic View Radio Show, Monday through Friday at 6pm Eastern and visit our contest section at www.theorganicview.com/contests to win one of our monthly prizes! Today's show is sponsored by Eden Foods the most trusted name in certified organic clean food! When you shop online at EdenFoods.com enter the coupon code “ORGVIEW” to receive 20% OFF any regularly priced items (excluding cases). For other promotional offers, please visit TheOrganicView.com's website.

Guest Percy Schmeiser, canola farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada, describes his legal battle with Monsanto following the contamination of his land with genetically engineered (GMO) seedsPercy Schmeiser vs Monsanto

Do you know who Percy Schmesier is? He certainly made history serveral years ago proving that one person can make a difference! Percy Schmeiser is a canola farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the first farmer to win a law suit against Monsanto. This landmark case, which went before the Federal Court of Canada, has attracted international attention because it could help determine how much control a handful of powerful biotech companies can exert over farmers. Schmeiser believes this precedent setting agreement ensures that farmers will be entitled to reimbursement when their fields become contaminated with unwanted Roundup Ready canola or any other unwanted GMO plants. By popular request, listen to this special encore segment of The Organic View Radio Show, as host, June Stoyer talks to Percy Schmeiser about his battle with this agro-chemical giant. Today's show is sponsored by Eden Foods the most trusted name in certified organic clean food! When you shop online at EdenFoods.com enter the coupon code “ORGVIEW” to receive 20% OFF any regularly priced items (excluding cases). For other promotional offers, please visit TheOrganicView.com's website.

Percy Schmeiser was targeted by Monsanto’s gene police, who claimed he was using Monsanto’s patented genetics, even though Schmeiser had never used any Monsanto products. His crop, unbeknownst to him, was genetically contaminated, ruining his 50-year-old seed-breeding program. Refusing to capitulate, the victim was charged with the crime. But Monsanto picked on the wrong guy. Schmeiser took the case to the Supreme Court and became an international spokesperson against the injustice and bio-vandalism of genetic engineering. This speech was given at the 2003 Bioneers Annual Conference and is part of the Ecological Food and Farming Collection, Vol. 1. Since 1990, Bioneers has acted as a fertile hub of social and scientific innovators with practical and visionary solutions for the world's most pressing environmental and social challenges. To experience talks like this, please join us at the Bioneers National Conference each October, and regional Bioneers Resilient Community Network gatherings held nationwide throughout the year. For more information on Bioneers, please visit http://www.bioneers.org and stay in touch via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Bioneers.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/bioneers).

Canadian Canola farmer, Percy Schmeiser explains how he beat Mosanto in a hallmark lawsuit.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

June Stoyer, Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor, anti-GMO advocate, Percy Schmeiser, Ken Roseboro, Editor from The Organic & Non-GMO Report & Beekeeper Tom Theobald discuss whether or not systemic pesticides or gmo's should be used on public land.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses the importance of GMO labeling, the impact of GMO's on agriculture and the politics involved.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

Percy Schmeiser discusses his landmark victory law suit against the agro-chemical giant, Monsanto.

On this episode, we continue where part II of the Genetically-Engineered (GE) Free Zones series left off with Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser, speaking in Castlegar, B.C. on July 10, 2008. Percy helped launch the GE-Free Kootenays campaign. Also at the event was GE-Free Kootenays' Andy Morel who described the steps that the campaign would take in the coming months. Fast-forward to October 20, when campaign spokesperson Kim Charlesworth requested from the cities of of Nelson and Castlegar that both councils adopt a GE-Free resolution and become a GE-Free zone. Deconstructing Dinner recorded the presentations. Also on this episode - an exclusive interview with Percy Schmeiser and his wife Louise. Host Jon Steinman spoke with the Schmeisers about the couple's well-being throughout the heavy-handed intimidation exerted by Monsanto during their legal battle between 1998-2004. Percy also shared his thoughts about the GE-Free campaign. Guests/Voices Percy & Louise Schmeiser, Farmer, www.percyschmeiser.com (Bruno, SK) Schmeiser is a 77-year old farmer who, along with his wife Louise, have received global recognition for their passion and devotion to standing up for the rights of farmers. In December 2007, the Schmeisers were awarded the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the "Alternative Nobel"). "I have always campaigned on the right of a farmer to save and re-use his own seed. This is what I have been doing for the last 50 years. I will continue to support any efforts to strengthen the rights of a farmer to save and re-use his own seed." Andy Morel, Spokesperson, GE-Free Kootenays (Rossland, BC) - Andy is on the steering committee of GE-Free Kootenays. He recently ran as the Green Party candidate for BC Southern Interior in the 2008 federal election. Kim Charlesworth, Spokesperson, GE-Free Kootenays (Nelson, BC) - Kim is on the steering committee of GE-Free Kootenays. She is currently running for city council in the City of Nelson.  

In January 2008, Deconstructing Dinner launched the first in a series of episodes that began tracking the evolution of a campaign that is working towards creating a region that declares itself free of genetically-engineered plants and trees. The first region in North America to become a GE-Free Zone was Mendocino County, California, back in 2004. Soon after, Powell River, British Columbia, became Canada's first. The Southern Gulf Islands of B.C. have also declared themselves a GE-Free zone, and since November 2007, a group in the interior of the province has been working towards becoming the third such region in the country. As Deconstructing Dinner has long covered the topic of genetically-modified organisms (G.M.Os) or genetically-engineered (G.E.) foods, Host Jon Steinman has lent his knowledge and experience to the campaign. Since November 2007, Jon has compiled many audio recordings of the campaign with the hope that other regions and municipalities throughout North America can use these recordings as a resource and tool if they too are wishing to create GE-Free regions. This series will hear from campaigners and politicians from Mendocino County and Powell River in order to learn how their GE-Free zones are holding up. We'll also explore recordings from the October 20th presentations to the Cities of Castlegar and Nelson, British Columbia, both of whom are, as this broadcast goes to air, contemplating the passing of a GE-Free resolution. On this episode, we listen in on the July 10, 2008, official campaign launch of the GE-Free Kootenays campaign. Featured at the event was the most vocal and well-known critic of genetically-engineered foods, Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser. This broadcast will extend into next week's show when we will hear the continuation of Percy's speech alongside a short presentation by GE-Free Kootenays spokesperson, Andy Morel. You can also expect an exclusive interview with Percy and his wife Louise. Voices Percy Schmeiser, Farmer, www.percyschmeiser.com (Bruno, SK) Schmeiser is a 77-year old farmer who, along with his wife Louise, have received global recognition for their passion and devotion to standing up for the rights of farmers. In December 2007, the Schmeisers were awarded the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the "Alternative Nobel"). "I have always campaigned on the right of a farmer to save and re-use his own seed. This is what I have been doing for the last 50 years. I will continue to support any efforts to strengthen the rights of a farmer to save and re-use his own seed." Corky Evans, MLA Nelson-Creston, "New Democratic Party of British Columbia" (Winlaw, BC) - Corky Evans was elected as the MLA for Nelson Creston in 1991, and was re-elected in 1996. He was once again elected to represent his constituents on May 17, 2005. Corky has ten years experience as an MLA, during which time he served in many cabinet portfolios, including Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. He most recently served as Opposition Critic for Agriculture and Lands.

Fred Eaglesmith Deconstructing Dinner has long incorporated music into many of our episodes. From Phil Vernon's tunes about Percy Schmeiser, Biotechnology and Terminator Seeds, to Terry Winchell's Pesticide Song and Todd Butler's Farmer Dan, there is clearly no shortage of tunes out there that help add to our weekly content. In the second half of this episode, we meet with one musician who has long been writing pieces about farming and rural life in Southern Ontario and that is well-known bluegrass performer Fred Eaglesmith. The Juno Award winner has been compared to such icons as Woody Guthrie and Bruce Spingsteen and is the only Canadian musician to have ever held a #1 spot on the Bluegrass charts in the United States. His song John Deere has been played on the show before, and Host Jon Steinman finally had the opportunity to sit down with Fred in person and learn more about his personal history with farming and what inspires some of the heartfelt content making its way into his songs. A few tunes in particular do a great job at capturing the many crises facing Canadian farmers today. And while farmers did once flock to hear Fred perform, the messages in his music are unfortunately confirmed by those who attend his shows today. To use a title of one of Fred's songs, "Things is Changin'", because farmers are no longer in regular attendance at his shows. As Fred puts it, there are hardly any farmers left! Cross-Canada Trike Tour IV On May 7, 2008, Darrick Hahn and Sinisa Grgic departed Victoria from the 0-Mile mark of the Trans-Canada Highway and embarked on a cross-Canada journey to raise awareness of Deconstructing Dinner. The pair are travelling by recumbent tricycles (or trikes). This third installment of the Cross-Canada Trike tour begins at the Quebec border and takes us through to their final destination of Newfoundland. Guests Fred Eaglesmith - Musician, Fred Eaglesmith (Port Dover, ON) - Country-folk singer/songwriter Fred J. Eaglesmith was one of nine children born to a farming family in rural southern Ontario. Often employing his difficult upbringing as raw material for his heartland narratives, he issued his self-titled debut LP in 1980. He recorded infrequently throughout the remainder of the decade, releasing only two more albums, The Boy That Just Went Wrong and Indiana Road. However, Eaglesmith gradually became an underground favorite in his native Canada, thanks largely to a relentless touring schedule in tandem with bassist Ralph Schipper and mandolinist Willie P. Bennett. Darrick Hahn and Sinisa Grgic - Cross-Canada Cyclists, Deconstructing Dinner Cross-Canada Trike Tour (Monkton, ON / London, ON) - Cyclists Sinisa Grgic and Darrick Hahn are old high-school friends based in Southwestern Ontario and are the proprietors of Fresh Entertainment. Darrick grew up on a farm in Monkton, Ontario and Sinisa, who is originally from Croatia, moved to Canada 17 years ago. Other Audio People and the Land - Deep Dish TV (New York, NY) - The ongoing "farm crisis" has had a devastating impact not only on the lives of individual farm families, but also on the towns they live in and the land now taken over by the corporate farms. Shortsighted exploitation has eroded the healthfulness of the land and the food it produces. From pastors in Wisconsin to Native Americans in Utah, people around the country agree that the way out of the crisis lies in changing people's attitudes. The land and people must be seen not as resources to be consumed, but as part of a spiritual whole. Produced by Wade Britzius and Marilyn Klinkner (Whitehall, WI).

On March 20, 2008, Deconstructing Dinner shared the history and outcomes of the most recent battle between farmer Percy Schmeiser and global seed giant Monsanto. Raised during that broadcast was the very basis for the battle; a product release form issued by Monsanto to farmers who wish to have unwanted genetically-engineered plants removed from their fields by the company. Schmeiser took exception to this form, and on this broadcast we probe further into the controversies and possible hidden agendas behind the use of this form for such purposes. Host Jon Steinman engaged in a heated conversation with Monsanto's Public Affairs Director, Trish Jordan, and he shares a number of shocking discrepancies between statements she made on March 19 and 20, 2008. Steinman also spoke with Schmeiser's lawyer, Terry Zakreski, who confirmed that the release form in question is indeed worth questioning! While GE-crops remain a heated concern on the prairies, the debate over their presence in Canada's food supply took an important step in Ottawa on April 3, 2008. Canadians have long been demanding that foods containing genetically-engineered ingredients be labelled. Since 1993, over six Bills have now been introduced by Members of Parliament, with the most recent being Bill C-517. First introduced into the House of Commons on February 2008 by the Bloc Québécois's Gilles-A. Perron, the Bill is calling for the mandatory labelling of foods containing genetically-engineered ingredients. On April 3, 2008, C-517 was debated in the House by members of all parties. Deconstructing Dinner recorded the debate and followed up with Conservative MP Bruce Stanton who opposes the Bill. Voices/Guests Gilles-A. Perron, MP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, Bloc Québécois (Saint-Eustache, QC) - Gilles-A. was first elected as Member of Parliament in 1997 and was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2006. He currently serves as the Critic on Veterans Affairs. Bruce Stanton, MP Simcoe North, Conservative Party of Canada (Orillia, ON) - Bruce was first elected to the House Of Commons in January 2006. Robert Thibault, MP West Nova, Liberal Party of Canada (Yarmouth, NS) - Robert Thibault was first elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for West Nova in November 2000 and was re-elected in 2004 and again in 2006. In July 2004, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health. He currently serves as the Health Critic. Nathan Cullen, MP Skeena-Bulkley Valley, New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) (Smithers, BC) - Nathan Cullen was elected to his first term as Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley at the age of 31, on June 28, 2004. He was soon named the New Democratic Party's national critic for three key portfolios: Environment, National Parks and Youth. Marcel Lussier, MP Brossard-La-Prairie, Bloc Québécois (Brossard, QC) - Lussier ran for office as a member of the Bloc Quebecois in the 2004 election, but was defeated by Jacques Saada. In the 2006 he ran again, defeating Saada by approximately 2% of the vote. Lussier has been appointed as the environment critic by Bloc's leader, Gilles Duceppe.  

It is an honour to coincidentally feature two of Canada’s finest on this broadcast. Both are recipients of The Right Livelihood Award (the “Alternative Nobel”). Water, The Blood of the Earth Water has long been taken for granted throughout the Global North. We use it in seemingly ever-increasing ways without thinking much about where it comes from, where it goes, and how much water was used to produce the many products/services we use daily. The food system is just one of these significant users of water, and the current state of water around the world is of significant concern. The Council of Canadians’ National Chairperson, Maude Barlow, believes water is the greatest ecological and human rights crisis of our time. In March 2008, Deconstructing Dinner recorded her speak in Castlegar, British Columbia. This segment will mark the beginning of a more concentrated focus on water issues on shows to come. Monsanto Pays Percy Schmeiser Saskatchewan Farmer, Percy Schmeiser, spent between 1998 and 2004 standing up to one of the most influential agricultural companies in the world – Monsanto. While it was Monsanto that took Schmesier to court on that occasion, the roles were reversed on Wednesday March 19, 2008, when Monsanto found itself being taken to court by Schmeiser. It was the first case between Monsanto and Schmeiser that led to the 2004 Supreme Court of Canada Decision that ruled in favour of Monsanto. While the decision assured that regardless of contamination, a farmer cannot grow patented seeds, Schmeiser recognized that if the company is indeed the owner of the plant, then they should be liable for the damages that their property causes others. There is yet no legal precedent in Canada that has determined who maintains the liability for damages caused by patented plants. Monsanto does however accept moral responsiblity for what are known as “volunteers” (unwanted plants appearing on farmers fields). The company employs a program that offers to remove volunteer plants from farmers fields. In October 2005, Schmeiser’s farm was visited yet again by Monsanto, and again, in the form of their RoundUp Ready Canola. Schmeiser took advantage of the company’s removal program, but discovered that they would only remove the plants if he signed a release form that contained a confidentiality clause, which he disapproved of. What followed led to an out of court settlement on March 19, 2008, and Monsanto paid Schmeiser the $660 it cost him to have the plants removed. Tune in to this broadcast to hear an exclusive interview with Percy by CFCR’s Don Kossick (Making the Links Radio) – the only media standing outside the courthouse on that momentous day. Also learn of the interesting dialogue between Host Jon Steinman and Monsanto’s Public Affairs Director, Trish Jordan. Guests/Voices Percy Schmeiser, Farmer, www.percyschmeiser.com (Bruno, SK) Schmeiser is a 77-year old farmer who, along with his wife Louise, have received global recognition for their passion and devotion to standing up for the rights of farmers. In December 2007, the Schmeisers were awarded the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the “Alternative Nobel”). “I have always campaigned on the right of a farmer to save and re-use his own seed. This is what I have been doing for the last 50 years. I will continue to support any efforts to strengthen the rights of a farmer to save and re-use his own seed.” Maude Barlow, National Chairperson, Council of Canadians (Ottawa, ON) – The Council of Canadians is Canada’s largest public advocacy organization. Barlow is also the co-founder of the Blue Planet Project, which is working internationally for the right to water. She serves on the boards of the International Forum on Globalization and Food and Water Watch, as well as being a Councillor with the Hamburg-based World Future Council. Maude is the recipient of six honorary doctorates, the 2005/2006 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship Award, and the 2005 Right Livelihood Award (known as the “Alternative Nobel”) for her global water justice work. She is also the best-selling author or co-author of sixteen books, including Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop Corporate Theft of the World’s Water and the recently released Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water.

If you were told, that organic farmers are giving up growing organic crops, would you be concerned? Organic standards prohibit the presence of genetically engineered organisms within a harvest, but since outcrossing between plants is unavoidable in nature, genetically engineered canola is so easily crossing with non-GE varieties being grown organically, that these crops are unable to be certified as organic. Monsanto has long been at the forefront of controversy around genetically engineered plants, and most notably, when their hired hands began trespassing onto farmers properties, taking samples, and then accusing farmers of stealing their technologies. One farmer who has now become world-renowned for his defiance of such actions, was Percy Schmeiser, whose field of non-genetically engineered canola became the unwilling host to Monsanto's patented GE variety known as Roundup Ready Canola. It was this case, that eventually set the precedent that a company can indeed own the lifeforms (the plants) that inadvertently make their way onto a farmers field. But if a company maintains ownership of the seed and hence the plant, then should that company maintain responsibility for the damages that their property causes? The Saskatchewan Organic Directorate has since 2002 been seeking compensation for the damages caused by the property owned by the American-based Monsanto and Germany's Bayer. A class action lawsuit was chosen, as the issues raised by the two plaintiffs are no different than those faced by any organic farmer operating in Canada. In May 2005, the lower court in Saskatchewan denied the group such class action status, and subsequent appeals were also denied in May 2007 and then again in December 2007 by the Supreme Court of Canada. This exhausted all legal avenues for such a case. But while the denial of acquiring such status is a blow to the farmers, it's far from being the end to their fight. Guests Sean Gardner, Vice President & General Manager - Monsanto Canada Inc. (Winnipeg, MB) - Monsanto's Canadian operations are part of the larger, global Monsanto company headquartered in St. Louis, MO. The company produces canola, corn and soybean seed products, and a range of herbicides most often found under the brand name - Roundup. Sean has been with the Canadian operation since 2005 and in his current position since August 2006. He previously worked as Monsanto's country lead for the Mediterranean area comprised of Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Sean joined Monsanto in 1998 when the company acquired PBI Cambridge. Prior to joining Monsanto, Sean worked at Unilever. Arnold Taylor, President - Saskatchewan Organic Directorate (SOD) (Kenaston, SK) - Since 1991, SOD has acted as an umbrella organization for organic producers, certifiers and processors. They are the SK chapter of the Canadian Organic Growers. The organization maintains a membership of 600-700. Arnold operates Taylor Organic Farms with his son. The 3,000 acre farm has been certified organic since 1992. Arnold is the President of the Canadian Organic Growers and the Chair of the Organic Federation of Canada. He is also the chair of SOD's Organic Agriculture Protection Fund Committee. Marc Loiselle, Communications and Research Director - Saskatchewan Organic Directorate's OAPF (Vonda, SK) - Marc farms on a century old family farm. The Loiselle Organic Family Farm grows cereal, oilseed, pulse, clover and hay crops. They raise chickens, goats and cattle. Marc has worked with certified organic and biodynamic practices for 22 years. Marc is one of a few farmers in Canada growing Red Fife Wheat. Other Voices Denise Dewar, ex Executive Vice-President Plant Biotechnology - CropLife Canada (Toronto, ON) - CropLife Canada is the trade association representing the manufacturers, developers and distributors of plant science innovations — pest control products and plant biotechnology — for use in agriculture, urban and public health settings. Denise is now in the same position for CropLife International. Mischa Popoff, isitorganic.ca (Osoyoos, BC) - Mischa was an organic inspector until 2003. In an interview with The Western Producer, Popoff questioned the integrity of the organic sector, following which, he had trouble finding work in the industry. Popoff was a nominee in the 2007 federal Conservative Party candidacy for the BC Southern Interior riding.