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Stricter controls on GM trials
13 Nov 2003
Stricter controls will be placed on genetically modified crop trials following problems with a Bayer CropScience GM canola crop near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. The NSW Agriculture Minister said although conditions on the crop were breached, the trial will be permitted to continue under increased monitoring.
Inspectors tested flowering canola plants in a buffer zone beside the 0.7ha GM planting after reports that the GM crop had grown out of control. But the Agriculture Minister said on November 11 the flowering canola was "almost certainly" non-GM. He said the chance of GM canola spreading at the Wagga site was negligible. Natural canola had been planted around the small test GM patch which was surrounded by a "monitoring zone" sown with wheat. Flowering canola plants were found in this wheat buffer, breaching the conditions of the GM testing licence.
Bayer CropScience has lodged a joint application with Monsanto to plant a modified canola crop more than 5,000 times larger than the Wagga trial.
News.com.au, 13/11/03.
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