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Corish backs GM trials
12 Aug 2004
The National Farmers' Federation president, Peter Corish, has backed trials of genetically modified crops, saying they're important to ensure farmers are not disadvantaged in particular future markets. He said farmers should not lock themselves out of advances in production techniques or new varieties in the future. Mr Corish said he believes commercial trials can be run without contaminating the environment, as long as they're strictly controlled.
But Mr Corish also acknowledged that some GM-free crops could be an advantage in certain markets.
His comments came as a new study for Monsanto, undertaken by the University of Sydney, concluded that GM cotton is more environmentally friendly than conventional varieties. Researchers found that herbicides used with Monsanto's Roundup Ready cotton pose a lower risk of contaminating the environment. They also found that weed control programs used with Roundup Ready cotton mean fewer herbicide applications and lower tillage rates, providing further benefits.
Weekly Times, 11/8/04, page 11.
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