Farmer to pay bill of $172,000

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Federal Court of Canada justice Andrew MacKay has calculated how much

Percy Schmeiser owes

Monsanto Canada.

In an April 17 judgment he awarded the chemical company $153,000 to

cover its legal costs, such as lawyer fees, witness fees and

out-of-pocket disbursements.

The damages stem from a March 29, 2001 decision in which MacKay found

Schmeiser guilty of patent infringement for growing Roundup Ready

canola without paying for the technology.

In addition to the legal fees, Schmeiser owes Monsanto $19,832 plus

interest, which represents the profits he got from selling the crop of

canola he illegally grew in 1998. He is also forbidden from planting,

harvesting or marketing Roundup Ready canola in the future.

Schmeiser has launched an appeal of the decision that found him

responsible for growing Roundup Ready canola without a licence. The

case is scheduled to be heard in Saskatoon on May 15-16.

It is unlikely he will be forced to pay any of the damages to Monsanto

until that appeal has been heard.

About the author

Sean Pratt has been working at The Western Producer since 1993 after graduating from the University of Regina’s School of Journalism. Sean also has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and worked in a bank for a few years before switching careers. Sean primarily writes markets and policy stories about the grain industry and has attended more than 100 conferences over the past three decades. He has received awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, North American Agricultural Journalists and the American Agricultural Editors Association.