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 genetically² engineered sugar beets³ 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 genetic¹ change in the sugar beets makes them resist the herbicide or weed killer⁴ 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 unlimited⁵ 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 unconditionally⁶ 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 activist⁷ 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 Supreme⁸ 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。

1 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

2 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

3 beets   

甜菜( beet的名词复数 )； 甜菜根； （因愤怒、难堪或觉得热而）脸红

参考例句：

• Beets are Hank's favorite vegetable. 甜菜根是汉克最爱吃的蔬菜。
• In this enlargement, barley, alfalfa, and sugar beets can be differentiated. 在这张放大的照片上，大麦，苜蓿和甜菜都能被区分开。

4 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

5 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

6 unconditionally   

adv.无条件地

参考例句：

• All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
• It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分

7 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。