Schmeiser passed away less than one week after the release of a movie about his legal fight over patent rights on genetically modified (GM) canola.

Reports indicate Schmeiser had been living with Parkinson’s Disease in his final years.

Schmeiser was born and raised in Bruno, a little more than an hour east of Saskatoon. In his earlier years, he owned a farm equipment dealership and was active in local and provincial politics. He served for many years as the Mayor of Bruno and was elected for one term as a Liberal MLA from 1967 to 1971.

Schmeiser received international attention for his ongoing legal battle with Monsanto. In the late 1990’s, the company said Schmeiser was growing its GM (Roundup Ready) canola without paying the $15 an acre licensing fee. Schmeiser maintained the seeds blew onto his field.

The Supreme Court eventually ruled in Monsanto’s favor, but even though he lost the case, Schmeiser garnered support from environmentalists and anti-GM groups. He spoke at international conferences and received a number of awards.

Last Friday, the movie ‘Percy’ was released with well-known actor Christopher Walken portraying the Saskatchewan farmer.

(Above picture: Percy and Louise Schmeiser receiving the Right Livelihood Foundation Award in 2007)