Farmer vs. Manufacturer | Video

Nicole DesRosier | 2/21/2013

Spring planting is still a couple of months away, but seed is a hot topic right now in Washington. The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case of an Indiana farmer who bought soybeans from a grain elevator and re-planted them to save money.

Lawyers for the seed manufacturer, Monsanto, say that the farmer violated the company`s patents, which require farmers to buy new seeds every year. A lower court sided with Monsanto.

State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has been following the case.

"This is double cropping. This guy had already harvested a crop in growing season, turned around and planted these soybeans, but he went to the elevator and bought soybeans. In North Dakota there`s very little double cropping. I think last year was the first ever year I heard about some double cropping that took place," he said.

Goehring says North Dakota farmers normally uphold the law, and it`s usually not worth it to them to violate it.

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