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Stop Monsanto's GE Sugar!

 

GE Sugar Beets

 

 

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Boycott Kellogg's

Organic Consumers Association and allies warned Kellogg's, if they used sugar from genetically engineered sugar beets in their foods, they would face a consumer boycott. Kellogg's responded, claiming that, even though they don't use genetically engineered ingredients in Europe, in the U.S., "consumer concerns about the usage of biotech ingredients in food production are low."

Tell Kellogg's You're Joining the Boycott!

 

Tell Crystal Sugar You're Not Buying It!

David Berg, President of Crystal Sugar, the nation's largest sugar beet processor, told the New York Times he thought customer acceptance of GE sugar was "a big nonevent."

Tell Crystal Sugar that you think the introduction of a new genetically engineered ingredient to the US food supply is a big, terrible event and that you'll be boycotting all non-organic brands that don't assure consumers that their sugar is GMO-free.

Tell Crystal Sugar You're Joining the Boycott!

 

Court Declares USDA Approval of Monsanto's Sugar Beets Illegal

In October 2009, the Center for Food Safety scored a significant victory with a court ruling declaring the USDA's approval of Monanto's sugar beets illegal. This victory followed a similar win on GE alfalfa. The courts based their rulings on the fact that the USDA didn't produce an environmental impact statement.

Unfortunately, this isn't necessarily the end of GE sugar or alfalfa. The court has yet to decide whether to block the 2010 planting of GE sugar beets and Monsanto has appealed the alfalfa ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

There is also the danger that the issue could become moot if the USDA were to conduct the rigorous assessments of the environmental and economic impacts of the crops that the law requires. USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said that, within the next year, final rules would be issued on Roundup Ready alfalfa and sugar beets.

 

The Dangers of Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets

Genetically modified foods hit store shelves in the 1990's and now just about any food that isn't certified organic, and contains milk, soy, cotton, canola, corn, squash, or papaya, contains genetically modified ingredients. Non-organic meat, fish and eggs are likely to be from animals raised on genetically engineered feed and could be the product of cloned animals.

Genetically engineered sugar beets have been grown commercially in the US since 2008. That year about half of the crop was genetically engineered. The industry projected that about 90 percent of sugar beets would be genetically engineered by 2009. So, with 50% of the sugar supply from sugar beets, most of us have probably already been exposed to genetically engineered sugar.

Monsanto wouldn't be able to accomplish this lightning-fast market saturation without the monopolistic power it gained by buying up seed companies. While industrial producers say they like the way the herbicide-resistant crop saves labor, they are wary of the power Monsanto has to restrict their choices and raise prices.

While Monsanto clearly plans to make its GE sugar beets farmers' only option, experts suspect that the seed companies will have enough non-GMO seed for the 2010 planting if the court decides to follow up its ruling that GE sugar beets were approved illegally with a moratorium.

If Monsanto's GE sugar beets end up winning out, the other concern farmers will have is whether the sugar beets will continue to be effective. Monsanto's supposedly Roundup-resistant sugar beets have been known to die in alarming numbers after having been sprayed with Roundup. Another danger is that the Roundup Ready sugar beets will transfer their resistance to wild relatives, spawning super weeds. In recent years, Europe's sugar production was devastated by the natural hybridization of the sea beet weed and the sugar beet.

GE sugar beets are dangerous for people, pollinators and the environment. The risks of GE sugar beets are enhanced by the fact that they contaminate non-GMO crops. Just to name one example, GE sugar beet specklings were inexplicably found in potting soil mix sold to gardeners at a landscape supply business.

GE sugar beet production significantly reduces the number of bees and butterflies in beet fields.

GE sugar beets are designed to withstand strong doses of Monsanto's controversial broad spectrum Roundup herbicide. Studies indicate farmers planting Roundup Ready crops spray large amounts of the herbicide, contaminating both soil and water. Farmers planting GE sugar beets are told they may be able to apply the herbicide up to five times per year.

Roundup, also known as glyphosate, is linked to cancer. Monsanto has successfully lobbied to increase human exposure its carcinogen. When it first commercialized its Roundup Ready crops, Monsanto applied for and was granted an increase in the level of herbicide residue allowed to remain on the crop.

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