Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms
United States Supreme Court
130 S.Ct. 2743 (2010)
A federal agency deregulated genetically engineered alfalfa, and organic alfalfa farmers, including Geertson Seed Farms (plaintiffs), sued claiming the deregulation decision violated the National Environmental Policy Act, arguing they would have to spend significant money testing their crops for contamination and taking other precautions to reduce the risk of their organic alfalfa becoming contaminated. The district court found for the plaintiffs and issued a permanent injunction, the court of appeals affirmed, and Monsanto (defendant) appealed, arguing among other things that the plaintiffs lacked constitutional standing.
Whether, to establish constitutional standing, a party must show its injury is concrete, fairly traceable to the challenged government action, and redressable by the court.