Gene Ethics congratulates the Tasmanian government and the farming community on their decision to maintain Tasmania as a GM-free Zone indefinitely. This will greatly boost the state’s reputation and sales of top quality GM-free produce in all markets, if well-promoted.
“There was never a rational case for commercial GM crops to be grown in GM-free Tasmania, as our evidence to the inquiry showed,” says Gene Ethics Director, Bob Phelps.
“GM canola was the only crop available but it offers no benefits at all.
“Instead, it would reverse the state’s long running clean up program to end GM canola contamination left over from small-scale trials in the 1990s.
“Our comments also showed that no other commercial GM crops are in the commercial development pipeline that could be grown in Tasmania in the foreseeable future.
“False GM industry promises had led some poppy growers and dairy farmers to erroneously believe GM poppies and GM pastures might become available and bring some benefits.
“However, the only GM poppy trial licenses, issued in 2001 and 2002, were surrendered long ago and the research programs discontinued.
Trials of GM perennial ryegrass and tall fescue by the Victorian Agriculture Department were only “proof-of-concept research and not for commercial release,” the Victorian Agriculture Minister confirmed in 2008.
He also said: “The experimental GM grasses to be tested will not be used for animal feed.” The department’s GM white clover trials for resistance to the alfalfa mosaic virus, in 2004 and 2009, were also proof of concept and no results were ever issued.
“No other licences relevant to Tasmanian dairying or poppy growers have been issued by Australian regulators and none are being developed overseas.
“Tasmania now has a great opportunity to supply excellent GM-free foods and pharmaceuticals to the world and reap the benefits of being a GM-free Zone,” Mr Phelps concludes.
Bob Phelps, Gene Ethics Media Release, January 9, 2014
