Judge orders sugar beet seed-plants destroyed; Monsanto to a

(I read this out of the Lincoln, NE Journal Star newspaper website today. While I'm not a big fan of Monsanto, I question some California judge making the decision.)

Judge orders sugar beet seed-plants destroyed; Monsanto to appeal.


A federal judge has ordered sugar beet plants grown for seed pulled from the ground in what is believed to be the first court-ordered destruction of a genetically modified crop in the United States.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in California granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday sought by the Center for Food Safety and other groups, fighting the United States Department of Agriculture and growers of sugar beets from Monsanto's bioengineered seeds, which the judge had already ruled have been planted without proper environmental review.
He delayed implementation of the order until Dec. 7 to allow time for an appeal. Monsanto said it would do so.
In an earlier decision, White said the government must conduct a more thorough environmental review before approving the crop to comply with the law.
But shortly after that ruling, the USDA issued permits allowing companies to plant seedlings to produce seed for future genetically modified sugar beet crops.
White said in his latest ruling that "there is a significant risk that the plantings pursuant to the permits will cause environmental harm."
Sugar beet farmers have argued they will be unable to produce a crop next year without genetically modified beet seed, because there are no longer enough seeds from unmodified beets. They also warned that without a sugar beet crop, sugar prices could rise sharply.
Half of the nation's sugar comes from sugar beets, and 95 percent of them are grown using so-called Roundup Ready seed produced by Monsanto. The seeds are engineered to withstand the weed killer Roundup, allowing farmers to reduce the use of other chemicals and limit tilling, which eliminates weeds but can contribute to erosion and evaporation of water.
Nebraska ranks sixth among states in sugar beet production, and the crop has an economic impact of $130 million a year on the state's economy, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Virtually all Nebraska's beets are grown in the western part of the state.
The USDA approved the growing of genetically modified sugar beets five years ago, but White has ruled it did so without proper environmental study. Paul Achitoff of Earthjustice, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the USDA, which was named as the defendant for issuing the permits "thumbed its nose at the judicial system and the public by allowing this crop to be grown without any environmental review."
Environmentalists say widespread use of Roundup Ready crops leads to increased use of herbicides, proliferation of herbicide-resistant weeds, and contamination of conventional and organic crops.
In previous court filings, Monsanto said revoking the government's approval of its genetically modified seed could cost the company and its customers some $2 billion in 2011 and 2012.
USDA officials could not be reached for comment.
Earlier this month, the USDA issued a draft proposal for handling of the genetically modified beets. It said it was considering allowing Monsanto beets back in the fields by next year under a permit subject to conditions "to prevent any potential plant pest risks."
Lincoln Journal Star Report

Well, after these envriomental fenatics have to turn their plush lawns into weed laiden garden plots to survive,and put whats left of our american farmers out of business, they will change their tune. All life depends on food production. They think that"organic/natural" food production is healthier. I hope these people can learn to turn a stalk of fox tail or pigweed or nutsage into a healthy satisfying meal. Our big food scares with crops such as spinich came from organic contamination, not chemicals.
A side note to this. Our local news reported last night that the NY DOT was going to start adding beet juice to their salt applications to prevent roads from freezing. It was reported that it would reduce salt expenditures by up to 20%, plus it was enviromentally friendly. They didn't state whether it was Red beets or Sugar beets. Perhaps next spring we will all be driving pink cars here in NY. I view it as simular to corn for fuel, or, corn for food. We need both, and weeds produce neither.

The JUDGE IS OVER CAUTIOUS ,whats the problem ?????, I hope He QUIKLY RESEARCHES , and gets educated properly ,,,

The problem is, ordered to destroy the seed fields in a week.

It takes 2 years to get sugarbeet seed. They grow the 1st summer, go to seed the 2nd summer, and you get to plant that seed the following spring.

If all gmo seedlings are destroyed, and we only have about 5% seed from the non-gmo seed stock.....

What will we plant in 2011 and 2012? It would be 2013 before enough non-gmo could be produced.

He's eliminating 2 years of beet production, and bringing 2013 into question, as to what type of seed to produce.

As well, there are likely not enough conventional herbicides available to spray a 100% nongmo crop, if we could find enough seed somewhere.

This is gonna affect the public if it is carried out.

Myself, I don't like the business side of gmo crops, don't think a life form should be patented.

Be tt as it may, this ban, unlike the alfalfa one, is gonna affect people over the next 2 years.

One answer will be to allow sugar imports.

Which will basically shut down the sugar industry in the USA, and then we will get surar with no controls or regulations flooding into this country, and another segment of unemployed people in the USA.

If this deal continues to go badly, it will be a major effect on the USA. The people behind it have worse intentions than Monsanto has, tho no one is paying attention to that.

--->Paul

as for the "not enough seed" argument, not sure i believe that... massive amount of sugar beet grown in the rest of the world... i"m sure they can find enough seed if they want/need too... Europe doesn"t use GM seeds (yet), and they"ve never run out of seed yet

just my 2 cents

Yep, I read that article also. I am originally from Nebraska, was thinking about posting it but not computer savvy enough to post the links.

Sugar has all kinds of price supports that don't benefit most of the producers, but instead discourage the U.S. from developing the sugar industry into what it really should be.

How many of the foreign countries do you think really care if stuff THEY raise is GMO modified?

I am sick and tired of our government dictating everything we do. Another instance is the drilling ban in the Gulf for 7 more years.

I believe in being a good steward of our earth, but we need a level playing field. EPA, PETA, GREENPEACE, HSUS, TSA, IRS, and a whole slew of other government and private agencies are h@ll bent on killing America as we know it.

Enough for now. DOUG

Thanks for posting that. I'm going to do like that judge is undoubtedly doing and invest in foreign sugar producers. Sounds like a good opportunity for windfall profits.

I beg to differ. As a grower, our last meeting a Pioneer Sugar rep had mentioned that there is not a lot of "regular" seed in stock because all that is available is RR. and with beets being a biannual crop, it would take 2-3 years for seed to become available.

Beet juice makes the salt stick to brake lines and speeds up rust .you can count on line failure by 60000 miles.

Good its about time someone had the guts to reign in Outlaw companies even if one of their major stockholders is George Soros

The enviromental wack jobs stalled the GMO alfalfa for 4 years but finally lost in court, I am suprised that the sugar beet case went this far. This is rediculous, halting progress in American agriculture just hurts the overall economy. My guess is that the GMO beets will be back on the market in a couple years because just like the alfalfa there is no ecological basis for any of the plantiffs concerns.

As I read it the judge just said the case can go forward. He gave Monsanto enough time to file an appeal, which will stop his order to destroy the seedlings and let both sides argue their case.

Overall it's a waste of money by a small group of folks opposed to most technology. But there's enough history from things like DDT and mercury to keep them motivated.

"Outlaw companies?"

How does one equate "[o]utlaw companies" with gentetic innovation, regardless of corporate ownership?

Dean

Well said.

Dean

open your eyes dean, Monsanto is not a scrupulous company and has done much in destroying the integrity of the seed industry.

I would like to see all GMO produsts eleminated completely. When I was farming I would not use any of them and roundup was only used on bare ground to try to control quack grass as it was the only thing labled for that but controll was less than 10%, both profesionaly applied and by myself. I would never use that stuff for any other purpose. I still have some farm ground but with my age do not feel like trying to farm any more. Sounds like somebody is using some common sence.

As one who holds engineering, MBA, CS and JD degrees and who has practiced in all of these areas, I respectfully disagree.

Dean

beet juice will cause your virgin daughter to develop vaginal warts and be ugly...

beet juice will make you stupid and ignorant..

oops too late...



come on,, tell me some more crappy rumours..

Lets make the green wienies put up a bond for all damages before they bring a suit. That will change things..

Should have read the label you would have gotten a better kill. Roundup has to be applied to the growing plant. It doesn't work sprayed on bare ground.

My sister is involved with Monarch butterfly research. They have proven that if the Monarch caterpillars eat gm plants, they die. Something wrong there that causes them to die.

I'm waiting for the day that the EPA bans seeds completely now that the Senate passed their "food protection bill". I can only hope that since the House says that constitutionally speaking, they had to start that process and not the Senate that overstepped their authority, that now it stalls in the House until the next Congress, and that the House in the next Congress kills it dead so that it never makes it to the necessary joint resolution to get to the presidents desk for signature into law.

You wait. This thing makes it into law, and the EPA will ban farming and gardening as hazzards. And my senator from Indiana, Lugar voted for this. That lousy, no good, senile piece of...

Mark

GMO = God Move Over, Monsanto has a better plan

Nobody's asking the obvious question:

Why aren't there enough non-GMO seeds?

Think maybe it was because Monsanto knew this was coming, and they planned it as their ace in the hole?

Now we're between a rock and a hard place. Either use the GMO seeds, conveniently provided by Monsanto, at a healthy markup of course, or face the collapse of the American sugar industry?

You havent seen the crap that sticks on cars and trucks and is very hard to wash off.They use because its sticky.My sons truck had to have all the brake lines replaced at 100000 miles.When I was getting an inspection sticker there was tubing assembly with 10 tubes running together ready to go on a low milage truck.Mechanics are complaining about the fast rusting of new cars since beet juice has been used.If it wont freeze it has a high sugar content.Make all the stupid remarks you want, dosent change the fact that beet juice makes salt stick to car bodys.Talk with mechanics before you run your mouth.

soxtbill,I found the article on sugar in road salt. google redorbit.com Road salt takes a toll Portland Press Herald jan 15 2008.Others can read it if you dont.You stepped in it again.

They are using sugar beet juice.Its being used to load tractor tires because the high sugar content keeps it from freezing.See Soxtbills post further down.

Must be a GM product. Ford and Dodge use stainless steel brake lines.

The ground did not have a crop and that is what I was refering to, the quack grass would be around 6" tall. After wheat harvest no crop to contend with but the quack keeps on growing and in fall plowing in spring the quack is first thing up and before working the ground for corn or beans the quack would be 6" tall. So bare ground means NO GROWING CROP, not before the quack emerges.

How true.

Its beyond me why they still grow sugar beets, a crop without any nutritional value what so ever.
All it does is make people fat and cause diabetes.

I had really bad stomach problems. Had to drink a bottle of antacid a week. I cut out all the Gm foods out of my diet and now I have no problems. Go ahead and eat your GM foods that kill insects like honey bees. GM corn has spider venom in it. Think about that in the morning when you put syrup on your pancakes. Cancer and diabetes is much much higher than ever. I only buy cane sugar. Boycott GM foods! There should be a law passed that all GM foods should be labeled. Most people don't even know that they're eating poison.

Almost all modern plants are GM in someway, you can't group all GM plants together. There must have been a specific GM trait in one type of plant that killed butterflys. Lots of plants have chemicals in them that kill things, ie RAID comes from a plant.

Heck, here in PA. we have brake line failure at 30,000 miles, plus frames, body parts, etc.

The people of Europe are againt gmo food.They want them labeled so they can avoid them.

People make people get fat because they eat like hogs.