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Cargill sues Syngenta over MIR162

Cargill has filed a lawsuit against Syngenta Seeds, Inc. in Louisiana state court, seeking damages from Syngenta for commercializing its Agrisure Viptera (MIR162) corn seed before the product obtained import approval from China.

Cargill’s grain export facilities in Reserve and Westwego, Louisiana loaded the vessels that were destined for and rejected by China.

“Unlike other seed companies, Syngenta has not practiced responsible stewardship by broadly commercializing a new product before receiving approval from a key export market like China,” said Mark Stonacek, president of Cargill Grain & Oilseed Supply Chain North America. “Syngenta also put the ability of U.S. agriculture to serve global markets at risk, costing both Cargill and the entire U.S. agricultural industry significant damages.”

Since mid-November 2013, China has rejected imports of U.S. corn due to the presence of Syngenta’s MIR162 trait because of its lack of approval for import, virtually halting U.S. corn trade with China. A study by the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) estimated that U.S. exporters and farmers lost up to 2.9 billion dollars because of the uncertain trade environment.

Syngenta issued a statement saying the lawsuit is without merit. “(Syngenta) strongly upholds the right of growers to have access to approved new technologies that can increase both their productivity and their profitability,” the statement says.

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