Food consumer-rights activists’ battle against genetically-modified foods has taken a beating lately. First the USDA completely deregulated genetically modified alfalfa and now they have defied a court order banning the planting of agri-giant Monsanto’s Roundup Ready sugar beets. Thanks for protecting us, USDA.

Tom Philpott at Grist reports that, “The USDA announced that it would allow farmers to begin planting Monsanto’s Roundup Ready sugar beets — genetically tweaked to withstand copious lashings of Monsanto’s herbicide — even though the environmental impact study [ordered by a judge last October] has yet to be completed.”

According to Philpott, Monsanto controls 95% of the sugar beet seed market with its Roundup Ready genes.

For the full article, go here.

• Tag: agri-business, beets, genetically-modified, Monsanto, organic