Brazilian cotton producers in the state of Mato Grosso on [July 11] sued Bayer AG, seeking to cancel the chemical company’s patent protection for its Bollgard II RR Flex genetically modified cotton seed, according to a statement sent to Reuters.
The farmers, hoping to regain $151 million in royalty payments, claim the genetically modified seed does not constitute a de facto technological innovation, according to the statement issued by the Mato Grosso Cotton Producers Association (AMPA). The lawsuit also names Brazil’s national patents office as a defendant.
Mato Grosso soybean farmers used a similar argument when they sued in Brazil to cancel patent rights over the widely used Intacta RR2 PRO seed.
Read full, original article: Brazil cotton farmers sue Bayer over patent on GMO seed
