A LOXTON dryland farmer says the region’s growers would be at a significant disadvantage if they were unable to access genetic modification technology.
Councils statewide have been given the opportunity to apply to the Minister for Primary Industries to remain an area where no genetically modified (GM) food crops can be cultivated, after the Genetically Modified Crops Management Amendment Bill 2020 was passed earlier this year.
The District Council of Loxton Waikerie is currently seeking the views of the community, particularly those in primary production, food processing or manufacturing activities, before it makes its final decision at the end of the month.
“Council hasn’t formed an opinion at all,” said David Beaton, District Council of Loxton Waikerie CEO.
“We’re interested to hear what the community and the farming community thinks of the idea of the introduction or the taking away of the ban on GM crops – whether that’s going to make an improvement to the viability (of crops) or if there are people who’ve got issues with GM crops coming in.”
Bulla Burra farm co-owner John Gladigau is one of the farmers in favour of Loxton and Waikerie being a GM-approved zone.
He said farmers have the right to grow what they like on their own farms, and not having the availability of such technology would be a disadvantage to the country.
“Effectively, what a lot of this technology is is actually speeding up a process that is already happening now,” Mr Gladigau said.
“To breed in something like frost tolerance or drought tolerance into plants could take a process of 10 years plus, whereas with GM technology, we can significantly speed up the process.
“Other states in Australia have had the ability to produce GM crops for many years, and have proven that GM crops can grow safely alongside non-GM crops without issues of contamination, while providing management tools not yet available in our state.
“Not having the availability of GM technology, especially in a zone like ours where there’s a potential to have a huge impact on growing the types of crops in an ever-changing climate going forward, would put us at a huge disadvantage to not only Australia, but other crop-growing countries around the world.”
Mr Beaton understood there were some interesting issues surrounding the GM debate, and said council needed to look at them on a regional basis, and try to work out the positives and negatives of having a GM-approved zone.
“The only criteria in the legislation to not allow GM crops is about having an effect on the marketing,” he said.
“So if there’s a case to say that GM crops would affect the marketing of some of the grain that’s not GM, that’s one of the ways you can make an application to the minister.
“It’s about that overall because there’s issues if there’s one council area that is (GM approved) and one council area that isn’t.
“Farmers don’t necessarily worry about which side of the road they are when they’re buying properties so it’s quite common for people to have land in one or two council areas.
“If you’ve got grain that is GM and stuff that isn’t GM, I’m not sure if they’re going to filter out which is and which isn’t.”
Public submissions to the council will be accepted until Wednesday, July 22, and can be made either in person or by email at council@lwdc.sa.gov.au or the post office.