Monsanto A class-action suit opens a new front in efforts by opponents of genetic engineering to curb the use of biotechnology in agriculture. Click on the interactive to find out how bioengineering food works and what can go wrong. The class-action suit, filed in U.S. District Court here, opens a new front in efforts by opponents of genetic engineering to curb the use of biotechnology in agriculture. Corn and soybeans genetically designed to kill pests or withstand herbicides have become widely popular in the United States, but have met consumer resistance in Europe and Asia.
Genetic engineering involves splicing a single gene from one organism to another.
Until now, biotech opponents have focused their efforts on persuading food manufacturers not to buy genetically modified crops and getting governments to require the labeling of altered foods. Five farmers in Indiana and Iowa, including a husband and wife, and one in France are listed as plaintiffs, but the lawsuit was filed on behalf of all farmers who have bought biotech seed. The National Farm Coalition, a left-leaning group opposed to biotechnology, helped develop the suit. Monsanto officials denounced the lawsuit as a political stunt and predicted it would be thrown out of court. This technology has been tested for many years and it's subject to intense regulation.