STATE politicians have created unnecessary conflict between WA’s genetically modified (GM) and non-GM growers by supporting an inquiry investigating contamination compensation, according to CropLife Australia boss Matthew Cossey.
Mr Cossey has served as chief executive officer of national advocacy group CropLife since 2011, and was one of the guest speakers at the WAFarmers Vitality 2018 conference in Perth last week.
His assertion came after submissions to a parliamentary inquiry exploring potential compensation mechanisms for farmers who suffer economic loss because of GM contamination closed last month.
The inquiry – supported by the Labor government and conducted by the standing committee on environment and public affairs – was triggered by Greens MLC Diane Evers, who tabled a petition in parliament last year prompted by the high-profile Marsh versus Baxter legal case.
Kojonup farmer Steve Marsh lost his organic certification after GM canola from Michael Baxter’s neighbouring farm was found on the Marsh property in 2010.
With no major issues in the State since then, Mr Cossey said there was no need for increased regulation that would “unnecessarily impose costs onto the farming sector” .
“Unfortunately politicians don’t always respond to the facts and evidence and science of an issue, they respond to the noisy wheel,” Mr Cossey said.
“There was no basis for this conflict to have occurred in WA and there is no basis for an action that I know is being considered by your parliament, or committee thereof, at the moment.
“It is in that classic form of a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist.
“If we were to move to a strict liability position and establish such a dramatic precedent for farming, it would ironically over the next few years be a greater threat to the organic sector than anything else, if we impose strict liability for disease spread.”
Mr Cossey said while he understood that the inquiry was initiated with the best intentions, such decisions needed to have a greater focus on scientific evidence.
Ms Evers was also at the conference and defended her decision to initiate the inquiry.
She said there were several concerns within the organic farming community that had been raised that deserved investigation.
Ms Evers recognised growers could suffer significant yield drops without GM technology and chemical use, but said value could be added in other areas.
“I tabled that petition at the request of a number of farmers who were concerned about a problem that they could see,” Ms Evers said.
“Quantity doesn’t make us healthier in every case, sometimes it’s the variety and the nutrition you can get out of it as well.”
Mr Cossey welcomed debate surrounding GM farming and said it was more important than ever for growers to advocate for their industry.
In a world that was increasingly interested in food, he said it was essential the broader population were better informed about agriculture and farming practices.
“Debate will eventually lead to more facts joining the public discourse and that will only lead to benefit,” Mr Cossey said.
“It’s beholden more and more on us to recognise that industry stewardship and world’s best practice is not just good for our own businesses, good for farming broadly, and good for Australia, but also a self protection mechanism from a tougher environment in which we’re all doing business.”
WAFarmers grains section president Duncan Young also weighed in on the debate, and said the lobby group filed a submission to the inquiry mid-February which he hoped would be given due consideration.
Mr Young said WAFarmers did not believe a compensation mechanism was necessary and he would continue to advocate for laws to remain as they are.
“We don’t believe that there’s a need for introducing this, we can’t see that there is a systemic problem within not only this State but the rest of Australia,” Mr Young said.
“We have a segregation in this State that has been proven to work with CBH, we haven’t had any instances in this State and we have a market for it so it’s pretty clear that things are travelling pretty well.
“I can’t see why you’d want to impose extra costs on farmers, we already have enough of those.”
The committee conducting the inquiry is scheduled to meet next week.
