Australian farmers wary of GM Crop Risks; learn from North American experience

After hearing the North American farmers’ experiences, Australian farmers are deeply concerned about the risk of widespread contamination and the shift in control of seeds from farmers to multinational agri-businesses, resulting from growing GM crops. Each of the rural forums attracted around fifty farmers who were keen to learn from the mistakes made in Canada and the United States, where GM crops have been grown for over a decade.

Small quantities of GM canola were grown commercially for the first time last year in NSW and Victoria. South Australia and Western Australia, the two major canola exporting states in Australia still enjoy a GM free status, although WA is preparing for large scale field trials this year. As farmers prepare to plant this year’s canola crop, they can now make a well informed decision about whether they want to go down the GM path.

Canadian Farmer Ross Murray grew GM canola for four years. He found that it did not live up to industry promises - it cost more to grow and yielded less than conventional canola. The guaranteed weed control worked in the beginning, but later the GM canola became a weed itself, and managing it increased costs and chemical usage.

The biggest lesson Canadian farmers have learnt from growing genetically modified canola is that segregation of conventional canola from GM canola is impossible, and that contamination is unavoidable. Ninety percent of certified non-GM canola seed in Canada is now contaminated with GM material, leaving farmers and consumers without choice. (1)

Ross said, “GM crops do not increase yields or profits for farmers. Agribusiness companies like Monsanto and plant breeders are the only ones who profit. The real agenda behind the promotion of GM is the ability to patent the resulting crop and thereby control the food chain”.

Moe Parr, a seed cleaner from Indiana, was sued by Monsanto in 2007 and was forced to settle out of court since he could not afford the high legal fees. Moe says, “The GM industry has made a killing in the United States at the expense of farmers. In Australia, farmers still have a choice whether to grow GM crops or not. They should make this decision with their eyes wide open”.

Since the introduction of GM crops in the United States, Monsanto has sued around 500 farmers a year for patent infringement, the majority of whom have been forced to settle out of court. (2)

Concerned canola grower Graham Strong from NSW said, “Until now, the majority of GM crops have been confined to the Americas. In order to capture the Australian market, multinational seed company Monsanto is now investing millions in promoting GM crops through industry front groups such as Agrifood Awareness”.

“Until we see hard evidence of real benefits to farmers from GM crops, and until there is strict liability protection in place for farmers who want to stay GM free, we should not plant them”, Graham concluded.

Moe Parr and Ross Murray undertook the national speaking tour on request from a coalition of Australian groups including the Network of Concerned Farmers, Greenpeace, the Biological Farmers Association, Gene Ethics, the Seed Savers Network and the Western Australia Conservation Council. They are independent farmers and are not affiliated to any special interest groups.

 

 Details of the forums can be found at: http://www.truefood.org.au/newsandevents/?events=3