Judge Allows Genetically Engineered Beet Harvest
– Paul Elias, The Associated Press, March 16, 2010
In this report from SAN FRANCISCO – it is revealed that federal judge on Tuesday said farmers can harvest their genetically engineered sugar beets this year, ruling the economic impact too great and that environmental groups waited too long to request that the crop be yanked from the ground and otherwise barred from the market. Nearly all sugar beets planted are genetically engineered and the crop accounts for half the nation’s sugar supply.
It says that in denying their request, White noted that the Center for Food Safety and the other groups who sued had ample opportunity to make such a request and he chastised them for waiting until this year to act. The judge said it appears most of the genetically engineered seeds have already been planted and it would be too disruptive to order their removal from the fields. “This ruling provides clarity that farmers can plant Roundup Ready sugarbeets in 2010,” said Steve Welker, Monsanto’s sugarbeet business manager.
According to the report the judge said disallowing the beets would cause an economic catastrophe – 95 percent of sugar beets are genetically engineered with a bacteria gene to withstand sprayings of weed killer Roundup. Half the US sugar supply is derived from beets and a Monsanto expert testified that 5,800 jobs and $283.6 million in growers’ profits would be lost if he shut down the market, which stretches across 1 million acres in 10 states.
