The week ahead for February 10-16: New York Fashion Week; Westminster Kennel Club show; Valentine’s Day

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A look at what’s coming up on the East Coast and around the world. This week, that includes a Beatles anniversary, an angry organic farmer and a hungry Angela Merkel doppelganger.

By Jane Wardell and Colin Packham

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Two neighbouring farmers, a field of canola and a gust of wind are at the centre of a landmark court case in Australia that could have consequences for the
controversial growing of genetically modified crops in the country.

Steve Marsh is suing former childhood friend Michael Baxter after harvested seed heads from Baxter’s genetically modified canola crop blew onto Marsh’s farm in the state of Western Australia, court documents said, contaminating land used for his organic oat and wheat crops.

Marsh, stripped of his organic certification and export licence for his oats, is claiming unspecified damages for loss of income in the civil negligence case, which opens on Monday in the West Australian Supreme Court.

It is the first time in Australia one farmer has sued another for negligence over contamination of organic crops by genetically modified organisms (GMO) and will set a precedent
for future cases, lawyers said.

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