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Committee says GM/non-GM crops can co-exist
2 Aug 2002
The Gene Technology Grains Committee, comprising members from the farming and industry sectors, has released a paper in which it states that genetically modified and non-genetically modified crops can be harvested and delivered alongside each other. However, the contamination of non-GM crops by GM crops can't be guaranteed, the committee found. Bob Watters, the committee's eastern chairman, said that Australia's grain handling systems already have to deal with different types of products so they could handle and separate GM and non-GM crops. There's already some contamination in the current system and it wouldn't be any different, Mr Watters said.
Peter Wahlsten, the committee's western chairman, said that there's growing pressure on canola farmers from the GM industry to come up with a system to separate GM and non-GM produce. Plans are being developed for the entire supply chain, he said, from pod to plate, in anticipation of the release of commercial GM canola.
The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator is currently considering two applications for GM canola which, if approved, would become Australia's first broadacre GM food crop.
Tradingroom.com.au, 2/8/02.
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