A San Fransisco-based federal judge has recently ruled that the United States Department of Agriculture illegally approved Monsanto Co.’s genetically-modified, Roundup-Ready beets.

They approved the sugar beets in 2005 with the premise of having no significant effects on the environment. However since then, United States District Judge Jeffrey White ruled a rejection against the USDA’s decision to allow the “Roundup-Ready” sugar beets to be sold because they are genetically engineered to coexist with their herbicide.

These sugar beets form 30% of the world’s sugar, about half the sugar in the United States. (Need some? Get it here.)

Although the beets themselves seemingly have no affect on the planet, they can easily cross-contaminate with nearby fields of conventional beets.

According to the Organic Consumers Association, the GM sugar beets have a “significant” effect on the environment, due to”the potential elimination of a farmer’s choice to grow non-genetically engineered crops, or a consumer’s choice to eat non-genetically engineered food.”

Luther Markwart,  from the American Sugar Beet Growers Association, said their 10,000-member group is “looking forward to aggressively advocating” for farmers who want to use these modified beets.

This is not new – a similar ruling was made in 2007 to discontinue nationwide farming of Monsanto’s GE alfalfa until the USDA conducted an environmental study.

Do you think this is another step forward to how the USDA approves genetically altered crops?

Source: Organic Consumers Association

Image courtesy of celsias.com

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