Monsanto (MON) Won't Destroy Sugar Beet Plants

Monsanto (NYSE:MON) has had the decision by a judge to destroy genetically modified sugar beet seedlings planted in 2010 reversed by a federal appeals court in San Francisco.

The appeals court said the environmental and organic seed groups filing the lawsuit failed to prove the Monsanto sugar beats would have a detrimental impact on natural sugar beet plants.

In a decision on November 30, Monsanto had been ordered to destroy sugar beet seedlings on 256 acres because of unproven concerns over contaminating other sugar beets.

Monsanto's sugar beets are modified to resist Roundup herbicide, also made by the company.

American Crystal Sugar Co., Betaseed, Syngenta and SES vanderHave USA have received permits from the Department of Agriculture to plant the modified sugar beet seedlings.

Monsanto closed Friday at $72.21, gaining $1.67, or 2.37 percent.

Battle Against Monsanto (MON) Sugar Beets Continues

The U.S. Agriculture Department's decision to partially deregulate and allow planting of "Roundup ready" genetically modified sugar beets has been challenged again by the Center for Food Safety. The nonprofit watchdog group claims the USDA's Feb. 4 final environmental assessment did not adequately address the hazards of planting the beets that Monsanto (NYSE:MON) genetically engineered to resist its herbicide Roundup.

The Center for Food Safety sued the USDA last year for issuing permits to plant the beets without proper environmental review.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White sided with the Center, finding that the USDA had violated the National Environmental Policy Act. Judge White ordered 256 acres of sugar beet stecklings removed from the ground.

That injunction was stayed by the 9th Circuit pending the USDA appeal.
The Center now claims that the USDA's Feb. 4 environmental assessment allows it to issue permits for spring planting in violation of NEPA.





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Monsanto (NYSE:MON) Wins Again, Modified Beets Given Okay to Plant

Monsanto (NYSE:MON) is enjoying another victory in its bid to expand it crop lineup, as U.S. agricultural regulators gave farmers the okay to plant genetically modified sugar beets this year, after a ban by a court.

Last week Monsanto got approval to have its alfalfa seed planted in the U.S.

Michael Gregoire, deputy administrator for APHIS' biotechnology regulatory services said, "After conducting an environmental assessment, accepting and reviewing public comments and conducting a plant pest risk assessment, APHIS has determined that the Roundup Ready sugar beet root crop, when grown under APHIS imposed conditions, can be partially deregulated without posing a plant pest risk or having a significant effect on the environment."

This was almost a surety, as the timing of the decision by the judge made it almost impossible to enforce, as farmers were close to making decisions on sugar beet seed, and it would have devastated the production in the U.S. by an estimated 21 percent this year.

Monsanto's sugar beet seed accounts for close to 95 percent of the U.S. sugar beet crop, and sugar beets account for over 50 percent of the sugar supply in the U.S.

The unfavorable ruling was from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, who not only banned the sugar beet seeds, but had ordered sugar beet seedlings in the ground to be uprooted.

Those opposing the seeds vow to take the USDA back to court in order to have the judge's order reinstated.

Monsanto closed Friday at $74.66, dropping $0.17, or 0.23 percent.