Syngenta Corn Seed Class Action Settlement

UPDATE 3: Appeals were resolved and according to the settlement website interim payments to eligible claimants were made as of September 8, 2020. Final payments are estimated to go out Winter 2020. Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

UPDATE 2, October 2, 2019: The Syngenta Corn Seed Class Action Settlement appeals are still pending. Payments cannot be made to class members as long as appeals are pending. We appreciate your ongoing patience. Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.  

UPDATE: The Syngenta Corn Seed Class Action Settlement was granted final approval on December 7, 2018.  On December 10, 2018, a notice of appeal was filed. Claims will not be paid until all appeals are exhausted.  We appreciate your ongoing patience. Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.  

A $1.51 billion settlement has been proposed in a class action lawsuit involving Syngenta Agrisure Viptera genetically modified corn, which was rejected by China in 2013 after it discovered the Syngenta corn had been imported without first being approved.

This rejection of U.S. corn shipments allegedly caused a significant drop in corn prices. Thousands of plaintiffs, including farmers, food producers, and transnational agribusinesses sued Syngenta. Their complaints have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation titled In re: Syngenta AG MIR162 Corn Litigation in Kansas federal court.

If you are or were a corn producer, grain handling facility or ethanol production facility, you may be entitled to compensation from the Syngenta corn class action settlement.

Syngenta began selling Agrisure Viptera GMO corn that included a new insect-resistant genetic trait called MIR 162. In 2013, Syngenta reportedly began selling another GMO corn brand called Agrisure Duracade, which included the MIR 162 and a new insect-resistant trait called “Event 5307.”

According to the consolidated GMO corn class action lawsuit, Syngenta began selling Agrisure Viptera and Agrisure Duracade before it should have because the MIR 162 and Event 5307 traits had not yet been approved for import by China.

The plaintiffs claim Syngenta failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that portions of the U.S. corn supply that were to be exported to China were not contaminated with the unapproved corn. China began rejecting U.S. corn shipments after allegedly detecting Viptera traits in corn shipments received from the United States, the Syngenta class action lawsuit alleges.

Syngenta claims that the price drop in corn that occurred in 2013 was not related to China’s rejection of U.S. corn but was actually related to a worldwide bumper crop of corn. The company notes that both the MIR 162 and Event 5307 traits have received Chinese approval.

Syngenta denies any wrongdoing but agreed to settle the Agrisure Viptera class action lawsuit to avoid the cost of ongoing litigation and potential appeals.

The Syngenta corn seed class action settlement was preliminarily approved on April 10, 2018.

Who’s Eligible

The Corn Producer Class includes any corn producer in the United States with an interest in U.S. corn priced for sale between Sept. 15, 2013 and April 10, 2018.

The Grain Handling Facility Class includes any grain handling facility in the United States with an interest in U.S. corn priced for sale between Sept. 15, 2013 and April 10, 2018.

The Ethanol Production Facility Class includes any ethanol production facility in the United States with an interest in U.S. corn, including DDGs, priced for sale between Sept. 15, 2013 and April 10, 2018.

Potential Award

Varies, depending on a number of factors.

A maximum of $22.6 million has been set aside to pay Corn Producers who purchased and planted Viptera and Duracade seeds, a maximum of $29.9 million has been set aside to pay Grain Handling Facilities, and $19.5 million has been set aside to pay Ethanol Production Facilities that are covered by the Syngenta class action settlement.

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

10/12/2018

Case Name

In re: Syngenta AG MIR162 Corn Litigation, Case No. 2:14-md-02591-JWL-JPO, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas

Final Hearing

11/15/2018

Settlement Website

www.CornSeedSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Corn Settlement Claims Administrator
P.O. Box 26226
Richmond, VA 23260
1-833-567-2676
Questions@CornSeedSettlement.com

Class Counsel

Christopher A. Seeger
SEEGER WEISS LLP

Daniel E. Gustafson
GUSTAFSON GLUECK PLLC

Patrick J. Stueve
STUEVE SIEGEL HANSON LLP

Lynn R. Johnson
SHAMBERG JOHNSON & BERGMAN

Kenneth A. Wexler
WEXLER WALLACE LLP

James E. Cecchi
CARELL BYRNE CECCHI OLSTEIN BRODY & AGNELLO PC

Defense Counsel

Thomas P. Schult of
BERKOWITZ OLIVER LLP

Michael D. Jones
KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP