Fight over beet stecklings to draw out longer

Federal Judge Jeffrey White told litigants this morning to prepare arguments for a court hearing over whether to uproot sugar beet stecklings.

White agreed with plaintiffs in deciding to pursue the steckling issue as a preliminary injunction request, rather than a request for a temporary restraining order. That means a longer process that could drag out through year's end.

Attorneys — for organic growers and environmentalists on the plaintiffs' side, USDA and the industry on the defense — have already made arguments over a restraining order, which could have uprooted the stecklings more quickly.

But since the stecklings were already in the ground by the time the order was requested in early September, White decided at today's hearing to slow the process down.

Check back for more details.