The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved plantings
of three genetically engineered (GE) crops in as many weeks,
including Monsanto Co.’s Roundup Ready sugar beets and alfalfa
that are engineered to tolerate Roundup Ready weed-killing
herbicide. The USDA on February 11 also legalized, without
restriction, the world’s first GE corn crop meant for biofuel
production. Biotech giant Syngenta’s Event 3272 seed corn will
simplify ethanol production and is not meant to feed animals or
humans. The approvals flew in the face of legal and regulatory
challenges posed by GE crop opponents and members of the
agricultural industry. Opponents fear the GE crop varieties
could contaminate conventional food crops and promote the
overuse of herbicides like the glyphosate-based Roundup and more
toxic chemicals used to kill glyphosate-resistant weeds.
Monsanto won a victory on February 4 when the USDA partially
deregulated Roundup Ready sugar beets. A federal court in August
2010 temporarily banned the beets and ordere