South Perth, Western Australia
November 14, 2008
The State Government will lift the
moratorium on the commercial production of genetically modified
cotton at East Kimberley’s Ord River Irrigation Area.
Agriculture and Food
Minister Terry Redman made the announcement in Kununurra
today, breaking Western Australia’s moratorium on all
large-scale growing of GM cotton.
Mr Redman said the decision had been taken after extensive GM
cotton trials in the Ord River area during the last decade,
under the supervision of the Office of the Gene Technology
Regulator, Department of Agriculture and Food and CSIRO.
“The trial crops have been very successful from a production
point of view, yielding almost 11.5 bales a hectare,” he said.
“Over the years, trials of GM cotton in the Ord have frequently
out-yielded Australian production by about 10 per cent.
“These trials have shown that there are no agronomic problems,
including the control of insects, in growing GM cotton in the
Ord. Importantly, there have been no environmental concerns with
the crops.”
The Minister said the issue of GM cotton had been widely
canvassed by Governments with consultative processes within
industry, the community and traditional owners of the land, the
Miriuwung Gajerrong people.
“The go-ahead for GM cotton adds further impetus to the
potential for an expanded Ord irrigation area. Irrigation and
land planning issues have been very carefully considered,” he
said.
“The Government is currently looking at the East Kimberley
Development package which includes expanding the Ord irrigation
area from 13,000ha to more than 50,000ha of cropped land in the
long term.”
More than 90 per cent of Australia’s cotton production was
already GM.
“In the 1970s, WA tried growing non-GM cotton and it was a
disaster, with the plants infested with pests,” the Minister
said.
“Growers had to spray pesticides up to 40 times each season. In
comparison, our GM cotton trials have only required two spray
applications with insecticides that are far more
environmentally-friendly than the now banned DDT used in the
1970s.”
Mr Redman said GM cotton should become a major new profitable
industry for Western Australia.
“The previous State Government-appointed reference group on GM
crops released a report last year which estimated that GM cotton
could be worth more than $50million a year to the East
Kimberley, generating more than 200 full-time jobs,” he said.
“GM cotton is an alternative crop option which could help secure
the future of the Ord as a major agricultural region. Cotton
growers facing severe water shortages in the Eastern States will
also have an alternative site that is well supplied with water
all year round and we may see some of their operations move to
the Ord, providing relief to the Murray Darling system.
“Today’s decision to allow commercial production of GM cotton in
the Ord provides growers with a new opportunity to re-launch the
cotton industry for this State, this time with the likelihood of
much better outcomes.
“I recognise the complexity of issues surrounding the
introduction of GM crops and I believe in the delivery of market
choice. The Government is continuing to look at the risk
management issues surrounding GM canola, with no decision to
allow trials as yet.
“Labelling is clearly one aspect of ensuring consumers are
provided with adequate information to enable them to choose
between GM and non-GM food products.
“Australia has a rigorous food safety system that stipulates
labelling requirements for GM foods. However, I am keen to
investigate whether there is opportunity for improvements to the
current labelling laws and compliance of those laws to better
assist in consumer choice.” |
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