Genetically Modified Beets Encourage Use of Roundup Weed Killer

Their called Roundup Ready beets, and you will likely see them in grocery stores next year. The Associated Press has reported that these biotech beets, which are resistant to the weed killer, Roundup, have already been approved in Japan and North America and are being embraced by several growers and companies who will use the sugar beets to manufacture sugar.

One of the largest sugar manufacturers in the world, American Crystal, has already said they will be making the switch to biotech beets. Company President, David Berg, said he believes biotechnology is the answer to helping feed the world. He also expects farmers in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota to have at least half of their acreage to be from the new biotech beet seeds.

President of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association, Bill Heil said he is expecting to spend less money on herbicides and fertilizers, while the general sentiment is that field labor will be drastically cut by growing biotech beets. Elsewhere, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative in North Dakota have announced tentative plan to switch over to biotech seeds, while Wyoming Sugar Co. has already planted 12,000 acres worth of the biotech Roundup Ready beets.

It certainly seems that the primary factor here is about the money. Certainly, there is financial advantage of using the beets. Higher crop yields (small percentages of beet crops often succumb to weeds), less labor and less micro-rate herbicide applications are all money saving benefits of the beets. However, the fact of the matter is that the environmentally unfriendly herbicide, Roundup, will still be in use, albeit there won't be as many smaller, more frequent applications. In other words, farmers will save on labor by having to do fewer passes through the field. Roundup is so strong that farmers normally have to use smaller amounts spread over multiple dosages so that it would not kill the beets. The genetically modified beets, however, are much more resistant to the beets and can handle larger dosages. In terms of the environment, there is no benefit. In fact, there is a good chance that more herbicide will be used - simply because the beets can take it.

The company responsible for developing the biotech beet seeds is the St. Louis based Monsanto Co., who said that with more processor acceptance, Roundup Ready beets will be as widely used as genetically modified soybeans (over 60% of soybeans are genetically modified by the way), corn and cotton. In regards to the sugar that will be manufactured from the beets, it will not be required to be labeled that it came from genetically modified beets because there will be no DNA traces in the finished products. In other words, the chemical composition of the sugar will be the same.

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