Australia farmers want postponement of GM canola
Date: 25-Jul-02
Country: AUSTRALIA
The New South Wales Farmers Association's annual conference passed a motion calling for the postponement. The motion replaced an even tougher motion, which would have put a four year moratorium on the general release of GM canola.
The motion was passed after lengthy debate which showed that Australian farmers still have great misgivings about introducing GM canola.
Australia produces between 1.5 and 2.0 million tonnes of canola a year, which competes against mainly Canadian canola on world export markets, particularly in Asia.
Australian canola is entirely conventionally produced, while Canadian canola is mainly genetically modified.
Australia's first commercial GM canola crop has been seen as likely to be introduced next year, although final approval has not been granted by regulators.
Australian farmers believe that Australia's conventionally produced canola carries a market premium, with GM canola not accepted by consumers in some markets, primarily Europe.
They generally agree that Australia will lose its GM-free canola status once a commercial crop is introduced, even if it is segregated from conventionally-produced crops.
However, speakers were divided yesterday over whether Australia's GM-free canola does command a premium, the main reason why farmers would not wish GM canola to be introduced.
The motion which was passed read: "That the association support:
(a) The most stringent monitoring of field trials of GM canola, to ensure compliance with the organisation of Gene Technology Regulator;
(b) The postponement of the general release plans for GM and Roundup Ready canola in Australia until such a time as all identity preservation issues affecting marketing and trade issues are fully addressed by government and industry."
Roundup Ready is a weedkiller which GM canola can be engineered to resist.