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WA lifts ban on GM canola
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The West Australian Government has given the go-ahead for its farmers to grow genetically modified canola.

Victoria and NSW have been growing GM canola for two seasons, but WA has only just completed trials on 17 properties.

WA Agriculture Minister Terry Redman says the trials prove these varieties suit the state's growing conditions, and he's confident they can be segregated from non-GM seeds.

"Farmers have been segregating grains for many many years," he says.

"I think there's something like 15 different types of barley, that if you look into a bucket they all look exactly the same and they've been able to sign off and verify a particular variety that goes into a market and of course to manage GM through the same system.

"There should be no issues with that."

South Australian farmers say they've been left behind, after Western Australia dropped its GM canola ban.

South Australia is now the last canola-growing mainland state to maintain a ban.

Bio-technology company Monsanto, which owns the technology, says it's putting South Australian farmers at a disadvantage.

And the president of the grains section of the South Australian Farmers Federation, Michael Schaefer, agrees.

"I think it's very disappointing for the growers of this state not to have the choice to participate in this," he says.

"It's very disappointing for the scientists.

"The whole industry is being left behind in our state."

The South Australian Government says the debate over the introduction of genetically modified canola is unlikely to become an issue during this year's state election.

Anti-GM groups were quick to criticise WA.

Director of Gene Ethics Bob Phelps, says the anti-GM movement hasn't been set back by WA's decision.

Now that Western Australia has dropped the moratorium, it leaves South Australia as the only mainland state to continue the ban, and bio-technology company Monsanto wants it to change.

It said in July last year it was lobbying the South Australian Government.

Monsanto's written statement in support of the WA decision says, "it is disappointing that some canola growers, those in South Australia in particular, still have to wait to experience these benefits. Freedom of choice should be Australia-wide."

Canola's industry body the Oilseeds Federation supports the WA decision.

Executive director Nick Goddard says he'd like GM canola to be available in South Australia, and understands why Monsanto is also interested.

Monsanto says there won't be a shortage of seed for farmers to grow their crops this year.

Copyright ©2010 ABC
Source: ABC
   
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