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Victorian farmers want delay on release of GM crops
(Thursday, Sept. 12, 2002 -- CropChoice news) --
Herald and Weekly Times, Monica Jackson, 09/11/02:
Farmers in northern Victoria are, according to this story, calling for a
three-year moratorium on the release of genetically modified crops.
The Kerang members of the Victorian Farmers Federation in Australia will
argue the need for the moratorium at tomorrow's general council meeting.
The move echoes the sentiments of a group of Kyabram dairy farmers who last
week tried to push the same motion at a United Dairyfarmers of Victoria
district council meeting.
Boort canola farmer Steve English was cited as saying farmers had grave
misgivings about how the introduction of GM canola would affect their
enterprises and that the possibility of co-existence between GM and non-GM
crops had not been proven, putting the latter at risk of contamination.
Mr English said this created a huge risk for non-GM farmers and the
consequences regarding consumer resistance, markets and farmers' rights
would be totally negative.
He said Australia had an advantage over many competitors through its clean
green image regarding GM and had gained markets in the European Union
previously supplied by Canada.
Monsanto public affairs spokesman Brian Arnst was cited as saying the
company would continue to develop GM crops and abide by Federal Government
legislation through the Office of Gene Technology Regulator and that the VFF
could not introduce a moratorium, only support one if it was introduced by
the State Government. | |
