Non-Profits Sue the USDA Over Genetically Modified Sugar Beets

When even government agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) break the law, it's kind of easy to understand why Americans are generally distrusting of lawmakers. Luckily, watchdog groups like Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety are here to keep USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and his underlings in line.

The two non-profits recently filed a lawsuit against the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on the behalf of the Center for Food Safety, Organic Seed Alliance, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and the Sierra Club. As I blogged earlier this week, the USDA recently announced that it would start issuing permits to plant Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE), Roundup Ready sugar beets. If that decision sets off alarm bells for you, here's why: Less than one month ago, a Federal District Court Judge ruled that the USDA could not legally approve GE sugar beets without first conducting an environmental impact statement (EIS), a process that typically takes about two years. The USDA disregarded the judge's ruling, jumped the gun, and now Earthjustice and Center for Food Safety lawyers are throwing the book at the agency. Bet those GE sugar beets don't taste so sweet now, huh, Vilsack?

Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the USDA is supposed to thoroughly investigate a GE crop's potential environmental and social-economic impacts before it approves the crop for planting. Historically, the USDA has bypassed this little law, pandering to whatever big agribusinesses like Monsanto want, whenever they want it. But last month, Judge Jeffrey S. White put his foot down, saying that legally, GE sugar beets couldn't be planted before an EIS was conducted. The USDA ignored the ruling, and announced it would start doling out permits for the plant — no public notice, no comment period, and certainly no environmental and economic reviews.

"APHIS's issuance of these permits blatantly violates well-established law and flouts the court's recent rulings," Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff said in a press release. "It has become Monsanto's puppet."

Monsanto is undoubtedly thrilled that the USDA started illegally pimping its GE sugar beets. If a thorough environmental and economic review were conducted, scientists would have a hard time showing that Roundup Ready sugar beets pose no dangers. For one, Roundup Ready corn, cotton, and soybean plants sparked the growth of herbicide-resistant "superweeds" that choke out crops throughout the nation. Not only do these superweeds decrease crop yields, they push farmers to use even more toxic chemicals on their fields. GE crops also tend to escape their fields and cross-breed with neighboring farms, including organic varieties. GE escapees threaten the livelihoods of organic farmers and make it virtually impossible for farmers to grow non-GE crop varieties.

It's depressing to know that the USDA — which is supposed to be looking out for the health of consumers, farmers, and the environment — can so easily be swayed by Big Ag interests. Let's hope the savvy lawyers from Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety can push the agency to start doing its job (in a way that's actually street-legal). In the meantime, sign our petition telling the USDA that it has an obligation to conduct a thorough environmental impact statement before it starts issuing permits for GE sugar beets.

Photo credit: USDA via Wikimedia Commons