Global agribusiness Monsanto contributed to a West Australian farmer’s legal costs in a battle over alleged contamination of his neighbour’s organic crop, the company has confirmed.
Steve Marsh took his neighbour Michael Baxter to court over alleged contamination of his canola crop in 2010 by GM seeds from Baxter’s property.
In May last year, the WA Supreme Court threw out Mr Marsh’s claim and awarded Mr Baxter more than $800,000 in legal costs.
However Mr Marsh appealed against the decision, and last month the Supreme Court ordered Baxter to disclose any financial help he received from Monsanto and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association.
In a statement, Monsanto said the legal dispute had been difficult for the families and communities involved.
“It was only fair that the Baxters received much needed support given the extensive fundraising efforts of Steve Marsh’s supporters,” according to the statement attributed to Monsanto Australia’s Managing Director Daniel Kruithoff.
“Monsanto Australia contributed to the Baxters’ legal costs to ensure they could defend themselves in court.”
Monsanto’s support was limited to contributing to legal costs, and the company had no control over the management of the case, the statement said.
Kruithoff refused to reveal how much money the company had contributed towards Baxter’s legal costs so far, but said its financial support would be ongoing during the appeals process.
Read full, original article: Monsanto contributed to WA farmer Michael Baxter’s legal costs in GM case
