The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is contacting farmers who are hosting canola trials found to be contaminated with genetically-modified (GM) material.

The GRDC has confirmed GM contamination of two lines of conventional canola being grown at 33 sites across the country as part of its national variety trial (NVT).

Managing director Peter Reading says individual state governments and affected farmers will decide if the trials will destroyed.

"So far we have been advised to take no action on any of the trials, the other thing we have been doing is in the process of contacting the growers on which those sites, the NT sites are located, explaining to them the situation and giving them the option if they would like us to remove those plots we will do so," he said.

Graingrowers in Victoria's Wimmera are divided over the risks of GM contamination.

"Before too long we're going to be into GM, so perhaps it is not the disaster that it first appears," said one farmer.

"The GM lobby are saying segregation. Now if they do bring GM in, we'll segregate it. Well, obviously they can't even segregate it at very low levels. So how can they segregate it when it is an open industry," said another farmer.

"It is probably important to keep it separate, but we do need to have that technology available to us, so the moratorium should be lifted so we can study it a bit closer before it is released," said a third farmer.

“No” from Farm Group

The New South Wales Farmers Association says canola trials contaminated by genetically modified (GM) canola should not be destroyed.

Recently nine canola trials run by the Department of Primary Industries in the state had to be destroyed because of GM contamination.

But the Grains Research and Development Corporation has confirmed GM contamination of another two lines of conventional canola.

There is no plan as yet for these trial crops to be destroyed and the farmers' association's Angus McLaren says they should continue.

"We believe those trials should be taken through to harvest and then the seed could be destroyed afterwards," he said.

"This is what's happened in Western Australia and we believe that would be the most prudent decision for the Minister to make."

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation via Checkbiotech