Canola

Canola is grown primarily in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. In 1999, 1.8 million hectares of canola was sown in Australia with a farm-gate value of around $500 million.

Canola is mostly grown to produce oils used in cooking. Canola meal is used as stock feed for the pork, poultry and dairy industries. Australia exports most of its canola. Its three largest markets are China, Japan and the EU.

Approved by federal government

In 2002, GE companies Monsanto and Bayer both lodged applications to have their genetically engineered (GE) canola varieties approved for commercial release in Australia. Preventing this commercial release thus became a priority for the Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaign. In 2003, the federal Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) approved the planting of both Bayer’s and Monsanto’s GE canola varieties.

Rejected by state governments

However by 2004, all canola-growing State Governments stopped the planting of the canola through  legislation or by declaring their state GE-free. This extraordinary result was the culmination of a nationwide campaign led by farmers, consumers, food industries, businesses and the grasroots communities.

Despite the approval of GE canola by the Federal government, the support of some peak farming bodies and huge investments by the biotech sector to promote GE canola, the arrival of this GE commodity in Australia is now on hold. This reflects the increasing global trend of grassroots rejection of GE crops.