sugarbeet

America has a sweet tooth. We eat over 8 tons of sugar derived from different sources every year. For decades farmers provided a myriad of food makers with the sugar they needed without relying on GM sugar beets. But with promises made by Monsanto in 2008 (the year genetically modified sugar beet seeds were introduced), farmers began counting on increased yields and reduced costs. Now they face record low sales as American consumers demand non-GMO food.

Josephine County voted on a genetically modified food ban that was to go into effect on September 4th, but of course rejecting GMOs can never happen without a fight. One day before the ban went live, GM sugar beet farmers, with the backing of agrichemical corporations, sued in order to halt the ban. This is a similar tactic that was used in Maui County and Kauai County, who passed similar bans via a democratic process. When will the courts uphold justice?