This website provides information and updates regarding In re Genetically Modified Rice Litigation, MDL 1811, a class action case that is currently consolidated and pending before Judge Catherine D. Perry in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

        The Master Consolidated Class Action Complaint (the “Complaint”) in this action was filed on May 17, 2007. The Complaint was filed on behalf of rice producers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas, against Bayer CropScience LLP and its related entities (collectively “Bayer”) seeking damages for the injuries they sustained resulting from Bayer’s alleged contamination of the U.S. rice supply with unapproved, genetically modified rice seed traits.

        Bayer’s contamination of the U.S. rice supply with not less than two distinct genetically modified rice traits – LLRICE 601 and LLRICE 604 – has caused significant economic damages to U.S. rice producers and has substantially diminished their ability to plant, market, or sell their rice crops. These actions seek to hold Bayer accountable for the property damage, market losses, and other economic and related damages they allegedly have caused U.S. rice producers. In addition to the rice producer actions, a subset of cases in this consolidated litigation seek damages that Bayer’s allegedly wrongful conduct has caused rice mills, rice exporters, and others.

        In the Complaint, the rice producers assert, among other claims, public nuisance, private nuisance, negligence per se (based on violations of federal and state statutory law), negligence, strict liability for ultrahazardous activities and strict product liability – and they are seeking relief on their own behalf and on behalf of the other members of the proposed classes for compensatory and consequential damages, punitive or exemplary damages, and injunctive relief arising from the defendants’ allegedly wrongful conduct.

To see a copy of the Complaint, please click here