Farmers may continue to plant genetically modified sugarbeets in 2010 after a federal judge denied a temporary injunction in San Francisco Tuesday, March 16.. The preliminary injunction would have banned the use of genetically modified (GM) sugarbeet seeds.
The decision to continue to allow GM seeds stems from the devastating economic impact a ban would produce. 95 percent of sugarbeet seeds planted in the United States are genetically modified. In addition, 99 percent of seeds have already been purchased for the 2010 growing season. An immediate ban could have totaled $1.5 billion.
However, the junction is only temporary. Judge White of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District California wrote in his order,
“The parties should not assume that the court’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction is indicative of its views on a permanent injuctnion.” He added that all companies, “take all efforts, going forward, to use conventional seed.”
For more on this topic, read the full article by Paul Voosen of Greenwire.