Based on Schmeiser v. Monsanto, Percy Schmeiser, Christopher Walken is a Saskatchewan canola farmer who becomes the target of a high-stakes corporate lawsuit. The filing claims that his fields contained Monsanto's Roundup-resistant crops and accuses him of intellectual property theft. Percy, a longtime seed saver who did not plant Monsanto seeds, believes the seeds in his soil arrived through contamination from neighboring farms rather than deliberate theft. Monsanto seeks to seize all of his seeds and the profits he earned from the following year’s harvest, framing the case as a battle over ownership of genetic technology and the rights of a small farmer against a powerful corporation. The legal action casts a long shadow over his operations, touching every corner of his life and forcing him to confront a system that seems determined to side with the company.
To navigate the mounting pressures, Percy turns to a local lawyer, Jackson Weaver, Zach Braff for help. The legal process drags on, and it quickly becomes clear that the odds are stacked in Monsanto’s favor. The strain of the case bleeds into every part of his life: the farm’s routines are disrupted, the community begins to treat him as an adversary, and mounting debts threaten the family’s stability. The weight of the lawsuit tightens around him, making even simple decisions feel like strategic moves in a larger conflict.
Rebecca Salcau, a representative of the People’s Environmental Protect (PEP), enters the scene with a different kind of leverage. Rebecca Salcau, Christina Ricci offers to help, but her aid comes with a demand: Percy would need to speak publicly against Monsanto to galvanize media attention and attract financial support for the fight. At first, Percy hesitates, wary of turning his private struggle into a public spectacle. Yet the reality of the case, the pressure from Monsanto’s tactics, and the mounting damage to his reputation begin to push him toward a more visible defense of his farm—and of farmers everywhere who feel the same squeeze.
As Percy becomes more exposed to public life, the campaign takes on a life of its own. He starts giving speeches, participating in interviews, and using every platform to challenge Monsanto’s control over seed technology. The support he receives grows beyond his local community; people around the world start to send donations and letters of encouragement, drawing a broader map of concern that transcends borders. In this period, Percy also learns that the issues he faces are not isolated, but part of a global pattern affecting farmers everywhere who struggle under the power of agribusiness.
A pivotal moment comes during a trip to India, where Percy witnesses firsthand the devastating consequences of debt and corporate influence on farmers. The experiences deepen his resolve and broaden the scope of the campaign, highlighting a human toll—the suicides and ruined livelihoods—that accompanies aggressive agricultural biotech. When he returns, his wife’s health takes a turn for the worse, hospitalized with a broken arm, and the family faces renewed uncertainty about the outcome of the fight. The emotional and financial strain intensifies, underscoring that victory would come at a significant personal cost.
With the case moving into new territory, Jackson doubts whether success is possible but believes an appeal to the Supreme Court remains a possibility. Rebecca’s supporters begin to withdraw as resources dwindle, testing Percy’s commitment to continue the legal battle. Encouraged by his wife, he resolves to push forward. Jackson drafts a letter of resignation to step away from the case, but Percy refuses to accept it and rips it up, signaling that he will fight to the end. The two push through the legal process with renewed purpose, working toward a definitive ruling that could set a precedent for farmers’ rights in Canada and beyond.
In the end, the Supreme Court rules that Percy can keep his farm, but he must surrender all Roundup Ready seeds to Monsanto. The decision preserves the core of his livelihood, while enforcing a clear limitation on ownership of the seeds involved. With the farm saved, the community’s view of Percy shifts from suspicion to respect, and the broader implication of his struggle becomes apparent: the campaign has helped persuade Canadian farmers not to grow Monsanto's GMO wheat, with a ripple effect that extends to the United States and beyond, challenging Monsanto’s grip on wheat production. Percy returns to the land, resuming work for the next season, and his family looks ahead with cautious optimism about the future of their farm and the legacy of the fight they waged.
