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联邦法官下令销毁由孟山都（Monsanto）开发的“Round-up Ready （抗杀草剂）”转基因甜菜，而且判定美国农业部在2005 年对此的批准是非法的。法官还表示政府在批准前必须进行彻底的环境审查。但在法令下达后不久，农业部就给孟山都发给许可证，使其可以继续种植，为将来的转基因甜菜留种。

　　2010年11月30日，法官Jeffrey White 下令说那些种子“必须从地里清除掉”。法官的理由是转基因甜菜的种植将对环境带来无法预估的后果。

　　这大概是对转基因作物说“不”阵营的一重大胜利。但孟山都是否会凭借他们与政府的特殊关系，和雄厚财力，通过上诉翻案，这一切还有待继续观察。

　　“地球正义”（Earthjustice）与“食品安全中心”代表农民与环保组织的同盟于2010年9月9日提交了一项诉讼，他们要求立即法院发出终止这种农作物种植的临时性制止令与强制令。该裁定是法官对于该项诉讼要求的反应。

　　“地球正义”首席法律顾问（Paul Achitoff）评论：“美国农业部与甜菜业松快玩弄法律，希望通过它们尽快种植而逃避有效的法院审查。这种行为，特别在政府部门这一方面，非常无耻、无法容忍。非法种植的作物必须清除”。

　　转基因甜菜抗含活性草甘膦的农达（Roundup）除草剂，于2005年获得进行商业种植的许可。从2007年的首个生长季开始，转基因品种已成为甜菜作物主流。2010年，转基因甜菜占美国甜菜种植面积（47万公顷）的95%.

　　甜菜糖约占美国糖消费总量的一半。与传统甜菜比，抗除草剂甜菜田间管理更简单更经济对农民在经济上更具诱惑力。

　　附：路透社相关报道 Monsanto GMO sugarbeets to be destroyed: court

　　By Carey Gillam, Nov 30, 2010

　　(Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the destruction of plantings of genetically modified sugar beets developed by Monsanto Co after ruling previously the U.S. Agriculture Department illegally approved the biotech crop.

　　U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White in August banned the planting and sales of Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" biotech sugar beets after determining that their approval in 2005 by the USDA was illegal. He said the government must conduct a thorough environmental review before approving the crop to comply with the law.

　　But shortly after the ruling, the USDA issued permits allowing companies to plant seedlings to produce seed for future GMO sugar beet crops.

　　In his ruling Tuesday Judge White said those seedlings "shall be removed from the ground."

　　Earthjustice, a consumer group that brought the case against the USDA and had asked the judge to order the young plants be destroyed, said the action was the first court-ordered destruction of a GMO crop.

　　"We had to run into court and ask the judge to stop them," said Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff. "He said you've got to tear up the plants, which was what we asked him to do. It's an extreme sort of a thing ... but the circumstances were such that there really wasn't any alternative. They basically had dared the court to stop them."

　　Sugar beets account for more than half of the nation's sugar supply, and Monsanto's Roundup Ready beets have been popular with farmers as they have been genetically altered to withstand sprayings of the chemical herbicide Roundup, making weed management easier for producers.

　　But environmentalists say widespread use of the crop leads to increased use of herbicides, proliferation of herbicide resistant weeds, and contamination of conventional and organic crops.

　　Monsanto, which owns intellectual property rights to the sugar beet technology, sought to intervene in the case, and was granted limited standing. But the company had no immediate comment on Tuesday.

　　In previous court filings Monsanto said revoking the government's approval of its genetically modified seed could cost the company and its customers some $2 billion in 2011 and 2012.

　　Along with Monsanto, others in the industry sought to intervene, saying they needed at least limited planting permits for research and development, basic seed production and to preserve the ability to create genetically engineered commercial seed varieties to meet potential future demand if production is ultimately authorized.

　　USDA officials could not be reached for comment.

　　Earlier this month, the USDA issued a draft proposal for handling of the GMO beets. It said it was considering allowing Monsanto beets back in the fields by next year under a permit subject to conditions "to prevent any potential plant pest risks."

　　The USDA gave the green light to Monsanto's GMO beets in 2005.

　　Plaintiffs in the case include the Center for Food Safety, Organic Seed Alliance, High Mowing Organic Seeds and the Sierra Club.