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Tell the USDA to Consider Environmental Impacts of Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets
  1. Signatures
    414 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. Secretary of Agriculture/USDA (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Secretary of Agriculture/USDA (Tom Vilsack)
      • Deputy Secretary of Agriculture/USDA (Kathleen Merrigan)
      • Press Officer/USDA APHIS (Suzanne Bond)
  2. Created By
    Change.org
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

On August 13th, a Federal District Court Judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) could not approve Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets before conducting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Less than a month after the ruling, the USDA announced it would begin issuing permits for GE sugar beets anyway, without conducting an EIS.

Monsanto's Roundup Ready GE crops have already caused environmental destruction, prompting the growth of herbicide-resistant "superweeds" that choke out crops and force farmers to use even more chemical pesticides and herbicides. These plants also escape and cross-breed with organic varieties, ruining natural plants' genetics and threatening the livelihoods of organic farmers. If the USDA bothered to assess GE sugar beets' potential environmental and social-economic impacts, the agency would likely find that the plants are guilty of causing the same problems.

It's completely irresponsible for the USDA to put Monsanto's interests above the health of the planet, farmers, and consumers. Tell the agency it needs to conduct a thorough environmental review before issuing permits for any biotech crop.

Recent Signatures

Conduct an Environmental Impact Statement Before Issuing Permits for GE Sugar Beets

Greetings,

On August 13th, Judge Jeffrey S. White ruled that the USDA must conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before approving Monsanto's Roundup Ready, genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets. It's come to our attention that despite this ruling, the agency announced it would issue permits to plant GE sugar beets without first conducting an EIS.

Roundup Ready corn, soy, and cotton have already been linked to the spread of herbicide-resistant superweeds. GE plants also cross-breed with organic varieties, threatening the livelihoods of organic farmers. Failing to conduct an EIS before issuing permits to plant GE sugar beets is downright irresponsible, especially given the known risks of planting Roundup Ready crops.

Please put the health of the planet, consumers, and farmers before Big Ag interests. The agency has an obligation to conduct a thorough EIS before issuing permits to plant GE sugar beets.

[Your name]

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