Judge rules against GM beets

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U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey S. White recently ordered to pull out 256 acres of genetically engineered sugar beets from the ground. The ruling favored the request of a group of environmental advocates which also filed for the barring of the farming of beets in Arizona and Oregon. These plants were set to produce the genetically altered seeds needed for the projected demand for sugar beet crop in 2012. Judge White pressed that the plaintiff produced substantial evident that “there is a significant risk that the plantings pursuant to permits will cause environmental harm”.

The environmentalists demonstrated how these beets could cross-pollinate or contaminate other crops, thus potentially causing harm to other plants. The plaintiff’s lawyer, Paul Achitofff, pointed out that “Genetically engineered crops inevitably contaminate organic and conventional crops… it’s impossible to make sure that the seed does not escape.” Another point raised by the plaintiff was that these beets were planted without conducting a legally required environmental review even though permits were granted.

The defense, which had U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vislack as principal defendant, reasoned that the ruling was unfair to many farmers who considered planting genetically modified beets that are resistant to the herbicide Round Up. He underlined the “need (for) a much better system that does not create a circumstance where a single judge essentially gets to decide whether someone can farm and not farm.” Apparently, the Secretary for Agriculture was not too happy that the ruling was based on “flawed legal procedure and lack of consideration of important evidence”.

Although this decision sided on the advocacy to stop the planting of genetically modified crops, it can be gathered that the issue spans outside the beets but also the fact that the government has been well behind the initiatives of Mosanto, Inc.. and other agricultural biotechnology groups. Mosanto’s name constantly props up in GMO-related and food safety matters; this corporation, which owns many intellectual rights to GM seeds and bovine growth hormones, seem to be always behind any food-related controversy which challenges conventional and organic farming advocacies. The judge’s ruling on pulling out these sugar beets highlight the fact that even though there is an advancement in science that intervenes the natural production and growth of food, their safety and overall impact to the environment remains to be under question. Hence, Judge White’s ruling can be commended not because there was a legal technicality that was overlooked, but the judge did consider that these acres of beets might feed people in 2012 but its effect can be more critical in the near future.

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