THE Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) believes current mechanisms are effective when it comes to minimising the impact of genetically modified (GM) crops contaminating non-GM properties.
The department made the comment in its submission to the Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs that is looking at whether there should be compensation for economic loss to WA farmers who have suffered contamination by GM material.
Last Wednesday the committee drilled down on submissions from DPIRD and the CBH Group as part of its inquiry.
In its submission DPIRD said different systems internationally relied on both tort law and strict liability, or a combination of both.
“As well as consideration of potential mechanisms for compensation schemes, the committee is encouraged to see how changes may be made to tort law to meet the standards of non-GM farmers, if this were deemed necessary and appropriate,” the submission said.
DPIRD acknowledged there was potential for GM crops to mix with non-GM crops, including from windborne pollen or seed.
It said these factors were taken into consideration by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator before it granted approval of GM canola as a legal commercial crop.
DPIRD said ultimately growers would choose whether or not they want to grow varieties of crops based on their own business decisions.
The CBH Group does not have a view on non-GM growers being compensated for the contamination by GM material.
The co-operative said it provided WA’s 4200 grain growers with market choice by offering a robust and quality-assured supply chain that was able to store, handle and market GM and non-GM grain.
“CBH’s grower receival standards for non-GM canola allow a low level presence (LLP) of up to 0.90 per cent of a GM event approved by the Australian Government Office of the Gene Technology Regulator,” the submission said.
“This is consistent with the tolerance permitted by the European Union, Australia’s major trading partner for non-GM canola.
“Since the adoption of GM canola to WA, no shipments have been rejected by our trading partners due to the unintended presence of GM material”.
Sam West, a grain and sheep farmer from Wagin, is one of the who many had lodged a submission (see his comments in the Letters section on page 12 of this edition).
Mr West said he urged the government not to compensate non-GM farmers who may be affected by contamination.
He labelled as absurd the way the community was focussing on GM as the only possible cause of loss through contamination.
“The proposed legislation if progressed will, without doubt, stifle the agricultural industry in this State on a number of levels,” Mr West said in his submission.
“It has the potential to regress the enormous advances that have been made in farming practices over the years by taking away farmer choices for fear of recrimination and litigation.
“Further development of broadacre farming will be put at risk as over-regulation will diminish the funding for further research and development.”
Mr West’s submission said it was one-sided legislation against GM farmers and did not take into account the more prevalent instances of organic farming practices contaminating the likes of modern and conventional crops through their lack of weed control.
“It solely sets out to vindicate the GM industry that globally has been scrutinised, analysed and peer-group tested and found to be safe on all levels,” the submission said.
Mr West has urged members of the committee to acknowledge the science surrounding GM crops, the significant agronomic and environmental benefits of growing GM canola and not to entertain the emotional, unscientific rhetoric of anti-GM lobby groups.
The hearings will continue next Monday, April 23 and Tuesday, April 24, as well as on Thursday, May 3, where the committee will consider arguments from a wide cross-section including GM-Free Farmers, GM Cropwatch, Gene Ethics, the Grain Industry of WA, Pastoralists and Graziers’ WA, WAFarmers and CropLife Australia.
The committee is headed up by Labor MLC Matthew Swinbourne and includes fellow MLCs Colin Holt (The Nationals WA), Samantha Rowe (Labor), Tim Clifford (The Greens) and Steve Thomas (Liberals).
