On May 20, 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a summary order concluding a long-standing lawsuit over the impacts of genetically engineered (GE) “Roundup Ready” sugar beets. As a result, previous court rulings in favor of farmers and conservation advocates will remain, including the order requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare a rigorous review of the impacts of GE sugar beets, engineered to be resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, before deciding whether to again allow their future commercial use.
Center for Food Safety (CFS) attorney George Kimbrell: “Today’s order cements a critical legal benchmark in the battle for meaningful oversight of biotech crops and food. Because of this case, there will be public disclosure and debate on the harmful impacts of these pesticide-promoting crops, as well as legal protections for farmers threatened by contamination.”
It’s about time Monsanto stepped out of the USA farmer’s fields and let the farmer’s do what they know best. Nothing beats organic! We don’t need GE to contaminate our food supply chain.
It was my understanding that many beet farmers were gambling on this decision and planted GMO seed this spring…Are they now required to plow it down?
According to the press announcement:
“During this case’s appeal, USDA approved 2011-2012 planting of GE sugar beets under the terms of a novel permitting and “partial deregulation” scheme while it conducted the court-ordered analysis. That decision is the subject of separate litigation that is ongoing in the District of Columbia.”
So it looks like there is another case going on about what to do with already planted GMO beets.
Round-Up ready corn has been used for more than 30 years. Why should beets be any different?