Percy Schmeiser died at the age of 89.

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JONATHAN HAYWARD / AP / SIPA

He was known around the world for having waged a long legal battle against the American agrochemical giant Monsanto.

Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser died at the age of 89, his son was told on Wednesday.

“Dad passed away yesterday.

He had a mild form of Parkinson's disease, ”John Schmeiser told AFP, confirming information from CBC.

“Telling his story in recent years has been a privilege for me,” reacted on Twitter Daniel Bekerman, producer of the film “Percy” inspired by this legal battle, currently in theaters.

Percy Schmeiser passed away yesterday at age 89. Telling his story over the last few years has been a privilege.

For me this will be a day to contemplate what it means to stand up for what you believe in, like Percy did.

- Daniel Bekerman (@DanielBekerman) October 14, 2020

Six years of legal battle

In 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Percy Schmeiser was guilty of fraudulently using genetically modified rapeseed produced by the American agrochemical giant Monsanto.

The highest judicial body had thus recognized Monsanto's exclusive rights to the modified genes of rapeseed seeds, putting an end to six years of legal battle during which Monsanto had won all rounds.

The Supreme Court had, however, exempted the farmer from some 20,000 Canadian dollars claimed by Monsanto, as well as legal costs incurred by the American group.

Accused of having used seeds resistant to "Roundup Ready"

Mr. Schmeiser was accused in 1998 by Monsanto of having seeded his fields with a certain variety of rapeseed resistant to a herbicide called "Roundup Ready".

Monsanto holds the patents for both Roundup and the seed designed to resist it.

The farmer from Bruno, Saskatchewan (western Canada) has always defended himself for wanting to use Monsanto's seeds, arguing that they accidentally ended up in his field, perhaps blown by the wind or fallen from a neighboring farmer's truck.

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