So why choose this subject right now? Well, there’s a new movie out called Percy that you can add to the list of films about agriculture. It’s based on a 1998 lawsuit between Percy Schmeiser, a Saskatchewan, Canada farmer…and Monsanto, the now former American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation. Monsanto discovers its patented genetically modified Roundup Ready canola in his field…even though he did not have the right to grow it. Some volunteer Monsanto canola seeds came into a field he owned and planned to grow canola that year (1997). It deals with how farmers save seeds for replanting, who owns those seeds, how Monsanto charged him a technology use fee plus patent infringement, the subsequent court cases eventually ending in the Supreme Court of Canada (Cour suprême du Canada). I won’t go into the details…but I do know that many involved are interested specifically in how those court scenes were handled. The film has a great anchor in the title role with Academy Award Winner, Christopher Walken, as well as a host of other good actresses and actors. However, there’s something here I’d like to explore.


An easy option, something I personally don’t like, is to make the film in a David vs. Goliath, small farmer vs. big corporation, GMO vs. non-GMO way. This may be part of the story…but it paints those involved as two dimensional when a fuller, richer story could be told. Clinton Monchuk, a farmer and Executive Director of Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan put it thus, people ‘…in the community look at this and say everybody who grew Roundup Ready canola at the time fully knew what was involved when they signed their technical use agreements. (It) meant that you could not save the seed to reseed. Once you sign that contract, it’s a patent right’. Some see the film’s trailer depicting farmers forced to use certain seeds from big corporations. However, Monchuk disputes this ‘We have free choice to use whatever seeds we want. Without watching the full movie, I don’t know how it’s going to portray (the story)…but it appears in the trailer that is going to be portrayed more of Monsanto forcing things upon Percy, which definitely was not the case’. Myself, I take issue with the original movie poster showing Christopher Walken in a field of corn…not canola! However, this is a drama, so I suppose some artistic license is allowed.


AN EASY OPTION, SOMETHING I PERSONALLY DON’T LIKE, IS TO MAKE THE FILM IN A DAVID VS. GOLIATH,SMALL FARMER VS. BIG CORPORATION, GMO VS. NON-GMO WAY.


A more reasoned view of the film has been expressed by Trish Jordan, Director of Public & Industry Affairs at Bayer Crop Science. Bayer took over Monsanto fully in 2018. Jordan saw the first Federal Court judgement come down three months into her role at Monsanto ‘As our Head of Bayer Crop Science says… …”take the movie with a grain of salt…or a grain of canola for that matter…’’. Instead, maybe use this as an opportunity to improve your understanding of what Canadian agriculture is all about and how farmers and the seed industry make bountiful, quality, affordable food easily accessible to Canadians on a daily basis’. On a poignant note, Percy Schmeiser passed away on the 13th of October 2020, approximately a month after the film’s premier at the Quebec City Film Festival and only days after its full release. Trish Jordan added at the time a fitting epitaph ‘Sadly Mr. Schmeiser passed away this week at the age of 89. Sympathies to his family. The battles he chose to fight are over, but I am sure his story will live on in folklore for years to come.’.


‘Percy’ is a Clark Johnson film and the trailer can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwgnXZ98AfI If you get the chance, have a look at the film… and make up your own mind.


Eddie Tofpik E: eddie.tofpik@admisi.com T: +44(0) 20 7716 8201


27 | ADMISI - The Ghost In The Machine | Q4 Edition


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