A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. that sought to protect organic farmers from litigation if their fields were to become contaminated by genetically altered seed.

Federal judge Naomi Buchwald of the Southern District of New York ruled last week that the plaintiffs, which include more than 80 agricultural organizations and farmers, were engaging in a “transparent effort to create a controversy where none exists.”

Last March, the Public Patent Foundation filed the suit for the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association, seeking a ruling that would prevent the Creve Coeur-based company from suing farmers if their fields are contaminated with genetically altered seed.

The company has pursued farmers who used genetically altered seed without paying royalties, but has long maintained that it would not sue farmers whose crops or fields are inadvertently contaminated.

Buchwald ruled, “There is no evidence to suggest that plaintiffs are infringing defendants' patents, nor have plaintiffs suggested when, if ever, such infringement will occur.”