The farm of the lead plaintiff in the organic community lawsuit OSGATA et al v. Monsanto, which is challenging Monsanto’s patents on GMO seeds, has been selected as a featured project on crowdfunding website Indiegogo.
The Wood Prairie Farm owned by Jim and Megan Gerritsen has been in business for over 36 years, growing organic potatoes, seed and vegetables on 115 acres in northern Maine. They are asking for some crowdfunding help to pay for the materials they need to build a 30’ x 70’ metal and concrete repair shop to maintain their vintage farm equipment. The crops they grow using organic methods requires vintage equipment which needs constant maintenance and repair in order to run properly. Thankfully their two sons are consummate mechanics and can do the necessary work – but working outdoors in Maine winters can be brutal without a proper shelter. Indiegogo believes in the project and thus is featuring them in order to help them raise the $32,000 they need to buy the materials for the shed.
“We are thrilled by this incredible recognition,” said Megan Gerritsen. “Out of thousands of projects worldwide, Indiegogo decided that the quality and content of our project deserved to be highlighted at the top of their company Homepage. This will have a big impact on our small family farm’s ability to successfully raise the needed funds for our Shop.”
By supporting Jim and Megan’s farm through Indiegogo you will also be helping them fight Monsanto’s patenting of GMO seeds. The more money they receive to build their shed through crowdfunding leaves them more of their own money to use on the case and on growing organic crops. Jim is President of the national trade group Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA), which was established to protect the organic seed business and is leading the lawsuit against Monsanto. The lawsuit is seeking the court’s protection from Monsanto’s lawyers, who are always on the lookout for farmers to accuse of patent infringement when the company’s GMO seeds blow onto farms not paying for the right to use them. The plaintiff group currently represents over 300,000 members and organizations.
“This case asks whether Monsanto has the right to sue organic farmers for patent infringement if Monsanto’s transgenic seed should land on their property,” said Dan Ravicher, Executive Director of the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) which filed the suit. “It seems quite perverse that an organic farmer contaminated by transgenic seed could be accused of patent infringement, but Monsanto has made such accusations before and is notorious for having sued hundreds of farmers for patent infringement, so we had to act to protect the interests of our clients.”
Want to help out Jim, Megan and Wood Prairie Farm? Check out the video below for more information and then visit the Indiegogo crowdfunding page for the farm. So far they have raised over $11,000 of the $32,000 goal with 11 days left; if you can, please chip in to help the organic farm build a shed and fight the good fight against Monsanto.