[Pil-pc-oceania] Government's GM report 'dishonest': BFA

[Deb Guildner]

 Government's GM report 'dishonest': BFA 
By LUCY SKUTHORP - Australia
Thursday, 23 August 2007 

The Federal Government's latest report on genetically modified (GM) crops is "dishonest" and "bordering on hysteria" according to organic farm lobby, Biological Farmers Australia.
While the push is on at a Federal level, to have the State bans on GM crops lifted, Biological Farmers Australia (BFA) says a review of the North American and Canadian experiences with GM canola supports the continuation of the moratoriums.

Earlier this week, BFA lodged a submission with the South Australian, NSW and Victorian governments which said the premiums Australian farmers were receiving for non-GM canola "could not be denied".

They averaged US$68/tonne more over two years than over the previous 10 years.

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Peter McGauran, has launched a third major report on GM crops, on canola, this week, which found GM canola can co-exist with conventional crops.

Mr McGauran said that, with moratoriums currently under review in four States, GM canola could potentially be grown in Australia from 2008.

"Australian farmers should be able to grow GM crops in parallel with conventional crops," Mr McGauran said.

"If these bans are not lifted, farmers will be denied the opportunity to grow crops that will increase their international competitiveness."

But BFA spokesman, Scott Kinnear, says the Federal Government is behaving like an agency of one of the big global GM corporations.

Mr Kinnear said the latest round of reports from the government were 'fantasy, pie-in-the-sky stuff".

"It's so far from commercialisation it's not funny," Mr Kinnear said.

"Why would you want to adopt second rate genetic-engineering technology that's been around for 20 years?

"It's unstable, unproven, unsafe, and poses huge issues for our export markets."

Mr Kinnear said he held grave fears for what a regulatory regime might impose, with suggestions of "forced" or accepted contamination up to 0.9 per cent.

"That's what the supply chain, or segregation system will allow - contamination up to 0.9pc.

"Our markets require nil-detectable, which is to 0.01pc - one in every 10,000 seeds can be detected.

"It's entirely possible, theoretically on paper, to design a segregation system that will keep contamination below 0.9pc, but it's not going to be practically possible because of human error."

Mr Kinnear said, "None of these GM canola crops that they're looking at have any drought tolerant capabilities.

"We're looking at the facts and saying the North American experience has cost their economy a lot of money, and the only reason that North American farmers are still growing crops is because the government there is bailing them out with direct subsidies to the tune of billions of dollars."

* More information:

. The government's report can be found at www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/biotechnology

. BFA's report can be found at www.bfa.com.au

SOURCE: Breaking national grains news from Rural Press weekly agricultural papers, updated daily on FarmOnline.










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