Carey Gillam reports for Reuters that a consortium of U.S. organic farmers and seed dealers filed suit Tue. March 29 against global seed company Monsanto, because of the company's genetically modified crops. The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) filed the suit on behalf of more than 50 organizations challenging Monsanto's patents on genetically modified seeds. The group is seeking a ruling that would prohibit Monsanto from suing the farmers or dealers if their organic seed becomes contaminated with Monsanto's patented biotech seed germplasm. Monsanto is known for its zealous defense of its patents on a range of genetically altered crops, according to Gillam. The company genetically alters seeds to withstand herbicide treatments, droughts, and other blights on crops. The Reuters story also says, "Monsanto has filed scores of lawsuits and won judgments against farmers they claimed made use of their seed without paying required royalties." Some farmers have claimed that their fields were inadvertently contaminated with genetically modified seeds without their knowledge. "This case asks whether Monsanto has the right to sue organic farmers for patent infringement if Monsanto's genetically modified seed should land on their property," said Dan Ravicher, executive director of PUBPAT, a nonprofit legal services organization, which filed the suit in federal court in the southern district of New York. Monsanto called the lawsuit misleading and a "publicity stunt" and said it has never sued and has committed to never suing farmers over the inadvertent presence of biotechnology traits in their fields.