Monsanto Beets Down Opposition

[marmar]

from In These Times:



Monsanto Beets Down Opposition
Environmental and public health groups are suing the USDA to stop the planting of Roundup Ready-proof GMO sugar beets

By Kari Lydersen


WILLAMETTE VALLEY, Ore.—The sugar beets growing in farmer Tim Winn’s fields do not look menacing. But other farmers in Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley fear the beets could devastate their crops.

Winn’s sugar beets have been genetically modified to allow them to survive application of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready herbicide. The modification allows Winn to kill weeds in his field with two sprayings of Roundup, rather than the multiple applications of various herbicides he used to use.

Winn and other sugar beet farmers across the country say Roundup Ready sugar beet—which are being grown on a commercial scale for the first time this year—make farmers’ work easier and more profitable. And, they claim, there will be environmental benefits because farmers will make fewer passes through fields with a tractor—a point that was made in a 2003 British study published in New Scientist magazine.

But Kevin Golden, staff attorney for the Center for Food Safety, says the unknown long-term environmental risks of genetically modified crops outweigh short-term benefits.

“We admit Roundup is a less toxic alternative than a lot of the herbicides, but weed resistance is developing really fast,” Golden says. “Eventually, Roundup becomes obsolete and farmers have to use these really nasty herbicides. It’s a self-defeating prophecy to use this as a silver bullet.”

And, he notes, the possible human health consequences of genetically modified organism (GMO) crops have not been adequately studied. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4045/monsanto_beets_down_opposition/

[amdezurik]

1. great stuff right up until

they contaminate a neighbors crops then Monsanto sues the owner of the contaminated field for using thier product...

[EFerrari]

2. I was reminded this morning that Monsanto made Agent Orange.

These are the people I want in charge of our food supply! :sarcasm:

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. Ordinarily I'd say that sugar from beets would be better than high fructose corn poison

But if they're Monsanto GMO FrankenBeets, probably not.

[truedelphi]

4. Not beets. Beets were the one food item iI was fairly sure had not yet become

Frankenfood.

<sigh>

[lazyriver]

5. Monsanto is the most evil and dangerous corporation on the planet.

[truedelphi]

8. Sadly what you say is true. And they HAVE THE POWER! n/t

[HillbillyBob]

6. Google up India, Dr.Vandana Shiva, Monsanto and Cargil

She has been fighting them for several years.
They have also patented food crops that have been staples food for masses of Indian citizens for centuries. Trying to force the farmers there to buy round up ready crops. Then the farmers become indebted to Monsanto, Cargill &tc. Then in desperation they suicide. I am not talking a few either hundreds or thousands have been devastated financially due to these corpses.
She is leading an organic revolution there that we all should join in on.
Even farmers in Europe are starting to turn on Monsanto etc. Oh and by the way YOUR tax dollars are being given to Monsanto, Cargill, and ADM to develop GM crops And corn poisons such as Corn syrip solids and other bits, as well as Hydrolyzed oils, stop and think for a minite..we get plastic from hydrolyzed petro products, its like injecting plastic right into your veins. I think these products are leading to diabetes, liver problems and cancers.
I have done my best to eliminate these things from my diet about 16 years ago
I weighed 258 pounds, my triglycerides were out the roof, my cholesterol were 353.
I went on a life altering diet that day..I got my fat butt stuck in my car.
I have lost 80 pounds, my bp is perfect, my triglycerides are still a bit out of balance but no badly so and my cholesterol is perfect as well, even a bit low at times..oh and I was borderline diabetic, now I am fine. I am also a 25 year hiv survivor, I have had a mild heart attack from the built up plaque and cancer, but drs say I should have died if I had kept on eating McDs etc. I have also heard on the tv news, but did not get around to looking for the studies, but the studies show that what I guessed at 16 years ago was correct.

[SpiralHawk]

7. Don't want no steenkin mutant process food facsimile crapola

Take that mutant crapola and shove it...before it perverts the planet altogether...