BERRI Barmera councillors have shown their support for the council district to remain free of genetically-modified (GM) crops, after receiving community feedback overwhelmingly against lifting the moratorium.
Earlier this year, Riverland councils each underwent public consultation to decide whether they should lodge an application Primary Industries Minister David Basham and the GM Crop Advisory committee to remain GM-free.
Of the 24 submissions received by the Berri Barmera Council, five were in favour of introducing GM cropping and 19 were opposed.
However, Berri Barmera Council CEO Karyn Burton said the council was “not in a position” to formally apply for the council area to remain GM-free.
“Council is not in a position to make an application (to be a) designated council area in which no genetically modified food crops may be cultivated as the requirement to provide data and analysis relating to marketing and trade as specified on the PIRSA website is outside council’s capacity and realm to provide,” Ms Burton said in a letter to Mr Basham.
“Council must, however, have regard to the views of its community and therefore submit endorsement and support for the region retaining GM crop free status.”
Speaking to the Murray Pioneer, Ms Burton said the majority of submissions opposed to lifting the moratorium focused on GM crops impacts on human health and the environment.
“PIRSA (Department of Primary Industries and Regions) have advised that applications must relate to risks to marketing and trade only,” she said.
“We really don’t fit the criteria to make an application, but we are passing our feedback onto the minister anyway.”
Ms Burton said she expects Mr Basham and the committee will decide against making the Berri Barmera Council a GM-free area.
At a special meeting of council held last Tuesday, elected members also moved to seek endorsement from other Murraylands and Riverlands Local Government Association (MRLGA) members to write to Mr Basham to “express disappointment with using local government as the vehicle to conduct state-wide public consultation on genetically-modified crops”.
Both Renmark Paringa Council and the District Council of Loxton Waikerie decided not to apply for GM-free status.
South Australian councils who are approved to be non-GM food crop areas will be announced by November 15, 2020.