US Lets Farmers Plant Biotech Sugar Beets, With Conditions

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。

The United States Department of Agriculture has given farmers permission to plant genetically 2 engineered sugar beets 3 with some conditions. A USDA agency ruled on the most popular variety of Roundup Ready sugar beets. The agency said the genetically engineered sugar beets do not harm the environment or increase threats by pests.

美国农业部已经批准农民在特定条件下种植转基因甜菜。美国农业部相关部门对最常见的抗农达甜菜做出裁决。该部门表示，这种转基因甜菜不会对环境造成影响，也不会增加害虫蔓延的威胁。

注：农达（Roundup），一种含活性草甘膦的除草剂。

The Monsanto Company makes Roundup Ready crops. The genetic 1 change in the sugar beets makes them resist the herbicide or weed killer 4 known as Roundup.

孟山都公司研制了这种抗农达作物。甜菜中的基因发生了改变，从而可以抵御农达一类的除草剂。

The action lets growers plant the genetically changed sugar beets if they obey certain rules. The USDA agency expects to finish its full environmental study of the sugar beets by May of next year. Then it will decide if it will permit unlimited 5 planting of the crops. Sugar beets provide about half of America's sugar supply.

农业部的这一决定允许种植者在遵守特定规则的前提下，种植转基因甜菜。美国农业部相关部门预计在明年5月完成对这种转基因甜菜的全面环境评估，届时将决定是否允许无限制种植。甜菜提供了美国食糖供应量的近一半。

The government agency had unconditionally 6 approved the genetically engineered sugar beets in two thousand five. But after legal action, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California cancelled the agency's approval last year. The court said the Agriculture Department needed to perform a complete study of the environmental effects of the sugar beets.

2005年政府部门曾批准了转基因甜菜的无条件种植。但在一定法律程序后，美国北加州地方法院去年撤销了这项许可。法院表示，农业部必须就甜菜对环境的影响做出全面评估。

James Greenwood leads the Biotechnology Industry Organization. The group represents more than one thousand biotechnology companies and other organizations. Mr. Greenwood says the current decision is a reasonable step. He says it lets farmers make planting choices while the environmental statement is being completed.

詹姆斯·格林伍德领导着美国生物技术组织，该组织代表着超过1千家的生物公司和其他组织。格林伍德先生说，当前决定是合理的一步，这让农民们在环境评估即将完成前，自己做出是否种植的决定。

But activist 7 groups for the environment and food safety question the product's safety. They will take legal action in the same federal court that issued the ruling last year. Lawyer Paul Achitoff of the organization Earthjustice said:

但环境和食品安全活动组织质疑这一产品的安全性。他们将向去年做出这一裁决的同一家联邦法院提起诉讼。地球正义组织的律师Paul Achitoff表示：

PAUL ACHITOFF: "We do expect to be able to challenge that decision before the district court."

PAUL ACHITOFF：“我们确实希望能在地方法院挑战农业部的这一决定。”

The Roundup Ready opponents say genetically engineered crops can cross-pollinate and damage other crops. And they say the crops can cause the growth of weeds that resist Roundup.

“抗农达作物”的反对者表示，转基因作物会交叉授粉并危害其他作物。他们同时称，转基因作物会导致抗农达杂草疯长。

Last year, the United States Supreme 8 Court considered its first case about genetically engineered crops. The court rejected a lower court's decision to ban sale of genetically engineered alfalfa seeds until the government completed a study of their effects on the environment.

去年，美国最高法院裁决了首例转基因作物案。最高法院驳回了下级法院的决定，禁止转基因苜蓿种子销售，直至政府完成转基因苜蓿种子对环境影响的全面评估。