Monsanto watch: Targeting American farmers with lawyers, fear and money

One of the most important components in the success or failure of a major corporation (or "person," according to the Supreme Court) is its ability to legally pursue anyone who dares to challenge its hugeness.

Several weeks ago, after writing about agricultural giant Monsanto, arguably the "big" in Big Agribusiness, I spoke with an Iowa farmer who recounted the story of how a protracted battle with Monsanto practically destroyed his life. Another notch on the corporation's billy club.

After confronting the wrath of Monsanto, Scott McAllister went from owning a prosperous farm in Mt. Pleasant with $3 million in gross annual sales to a divorced equipment salesman with health issues and a mountain of debt.