In 2011, Syngenta released its GMO corn onto the market. The particular brand was the Agrisure VipteraMIR162 corn seed.

The seed was not approved for distribution in China before its release which meant that nearly all of the exported Syngenta corn from the United States was not allowed to enter the Asian country.

The effects of China’s refusal of Syngenta’s seeds reached far beyond affecting just the farmers who chose to use the seed. The entire corn industry was affected in one way or another.

What is GMO Corn?

The term GMO, or genetically modified organism, means that the plant is genetically engineered in a laboratory to alter the DNA expression to eliminate unwanted traits or to encourage favorable traits.

For example, many GMO plants are created to resist pathogens and insects, thus producing higher yielding crops without the worry of pests.

While scientists continue to stand behind the belief that GMO foods are safe for consumption, there are opponents to using biotechnology to genetically alter foods for safety and environmental concerns.

Another issue of concern is the intellectual property rights of the genetically modified foods, adding a whole new level of controversy.

Viptera Tainted Corn

Corn that is exported from the United States is typically mixed in shipment as it is prepared for export. Additionally, crops can be tainted with the corn from storage and transportation practices or even pollen transported by wind, insects and animals from one field to another.

Essentially there is no way to prevent cross-contamination of non-GMO crops and fields by GMO seeds.

In fall 2013, China went even further to ban any corn with a trace of the Viptera MIR 162 trait.  This ban severely affected nearly every single individual involved in all aspects of corn production in the United States.  Those who did not intentionally use Syngenta’s GMO corn seeds were still affected because of the cross-contamination issue.

Approximately 20 percent of all U.S. corn is exported.  China is the 3rd largest country that receives corn from the United States.  It is estimated that in 2014, export of corn to China fell 85 percent, causing huge financial losses to the U.S. corn industry.

Syngenta Corn Lawsuit Information

From 2011 through early 2014, the National Grain and Feed Association estimated that nearly $3 billion had been lost among those in the U.S. corn industry in various capacities.

Individual and class action lawsuits continue to be filed against Syngenta for irresponsible actions and misleading marketing practices.

The following parties may be affected by Syngenta’s GMO corn and may have a legal claim:

• Corn farmers, producers and sellers
• Corn field land owners
• Individuals involved in corn exports
• Corn transporters (truck drivers, trucking companies, railroad transportation workers and more)
• Corn Distributors
• Grain elevator owners and operators

If you have been affected by Syngenta’s corn practices, you may be entitled to compensation.