Court decisions that have suspended the planting of genetically modified sugar beets could result in a sharp decline in American sugar production in the next two years, leading to possible price increases for consumers and food processors, according to experts and farmers.
Unless regulators can devise new rules acceptable to the federal court, the rulings could force farmers to abandon the genetically engineered beets they have come to rely on. Currently, those beets make up nearly all of the United States crop.
Farmers, who would normally order their seeds around now for planting early next year, say they are unsure what to do.
“Right now, it’s pretty tough to do any planning because everything is in limbo,” said Ric Rodriguez, a beet farmer in Powell, Wyo., and a director of the Western Sugar Cooperative. “Everybody’s pretty nervous right now.”
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