Monday, February 7, 2011

Regulations on Sugar Beets

Sugar beets account for about 50% of sugar production in the U.S, and genetically modified sugar beets made up 95% of the total sugar beet crop in 2010.  From NPR,  The modified beets are "Roundup Ready", so the herbicide Roundup can be sprayed onto the beet fields, killing all weeds, but leaving the beets unharmed.

On Feb. 4th the USDA lifted a temporary ban on the planting of genetically modified sugar beets.  In late 2010 a Federal judge ruled that the beets cannot be planted until a full environment impact study is completed. The USDA lifted the ban due to the upcoming planting season, and due to their fear that U.S. sugar beet yields would severely drop if GM sugar beets are not planted.

Opponents feel the USDA broke the law, as they disputed a federal court ruling.


6 comments:

  1. What exactly is a sugar beet? Is it the same as normal beets or different?

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  2. Related to a normal beet but different species. They contain a lot of sucrose and account for about 50% of sugar production in the U.S. I fixed up the post a bit so it's more clear for others.

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  3. There is actualy alot of sugar beets farmed in Colorado. Even my highschool mascot was the "Beetdiggers" with a big Sugar beet as our symbol. Ya, i know beetdiggers, haha. There is a large sugarbeet processing plant located in Fort Morgan Colorado, and if you ever drive through the town on I76, that is exactly why it smells so bad.

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  4. I wasn't aware how big sugar beets were here. Beetdiggers, ha.

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  5. There was a big sugar beet plant in my hometown, too, and they do stink :).

    Can you tell us more about what they were genetically modified FOR? And, from my point of view, this is one of the problems with GM/monoculture--you rely so heavily on one crop that it gets "too big to fail," or, in this case, to big to regulate. I really worry about our freedoms (especially our freedom to choose what we are ingesting) in these cases. And the power we invest in corporations.

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  6. The beets are "Roundup Ready" beets, so the herbicide Roundup can be sprayed onto the beet fields killing all other plants except the genetically modified beets. This from NPR. I'll fix the post up.

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