Syngenta Seed Corn Class Action Settlement

I have received emails and letters from the Claims Administrator in the Syngenta Corn Seed Class Action law suit. I am quite certain all farmers have. It was a reminder that the deadline to file a claim in this settlement is October 12, 2018. Remember this whole law suit pertains to Syngenta's MIR162 Corn Litigation. In "plain English it refers to Syngents's traits Agrisure Viptera and Agrisure Duracade.

China detected these unapproved traits in a corn shipment to China. China announced that they were not going to import any more corn from the United States. The announcement caused corn prices to drop sharply in the United States. Some farmers sued Syngenta. Then there was a class action settlement and farmers have to decide if they want to get a piece of the $1.5 billion settlement.

I have not as of yet signed up to get my share of the settlement. Maybe I will and then again I may not. I need to find out more about the implications of signing up. At this point there is a lot I do not know. I have read that if you sign up you may open yourself up to a counter suit by Syngenta. I do know that if you join the class action settlement you give up your right to sue Syngenta on your own. That is not a big issue because most farmers will not be suing Syngenta.

I also read that if you did plant Agrisure Viptera or Agrisure Duracade  you did or should have signed an agreement that you would market the traited corn in only approved marketing channels. Well, someone did not! I am trying to find a contact in Farm Business Management or at the University of Minnesota Extension Service that can offer advice on signing up for the settlement.