"RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Bayer CropScience has agreed to pay $750 million (517 million euros) to settle claims by U.S. rice farmers that the company's genetically modified rice has contaminated their crops.
Around 11,000 farmers in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas filed lawsuits against Bayer CropScience, a subgroup of the German chemical producer Bayer AG.
The settlement program will be open to all U.S. farmers who had been growing long-grain rice during the period of 2006 through 2010.
In July 2006, Bayer's Liberty Link Rice 601, a genetically modfied variety that was not approved for commercial distribution or human consumption anywhere in the world, appeared in the harvest of the farmers. "
Environment News Service had the story July 7, 2011.
SEE ALSO:
"Genetically Modified Food Labels Don't Sit Well in U.S." (Los Angeles Times)
"Bayer to Pay U.S. Farmers $750 Million Over Genetically Modified Rice"
Source: ENS, 07/11/2011
