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Calves fed GM feed, says expert
11 Jun 2003
Former Australian Dairy Corporation head Sandy Murdoch says many dairy farmers are unwittingly feeding genetically modified organisms to their calves. Mr Murdoch, now Ridley AgriProducts chief executive, said there were GMOs in bought stockfeed. Food standards authorities in Australia and New Zealand have no regulations governing GMOs in feed, reflecting the view that GM is safe for livestock, Mr Murdoch said.
Stockfeed Association of Australia's John Spragg said some dairy stockfeeds contain US GM soyabean meal as well as Australian cottonseed and meal, but most dairy farmers feed their livestock canola meal-based feed. There's no requirement to label the feed GM, he said.
Murray Goulburn's Ross Greenaway said the co-op's MG Milkcare program requires stockfeed companies to sign a declaration that their products are at least 95 per cent GMO-free. Export markets such as Japan and South Korea are very concerned about GM stockfeeds being fed to dairy cows. On average, one-fifth of a cow's diet came from bought stockfeed and the remainder came from GM-free pasture, which means, on average, about 99 per cent of a cow's diet should be GM-free, Mr Greenaway stated.
Weekly Times, 11/6/03, page 18.
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