SIR Gus Nossal reckons the market should be allowed to work (re: lifting the moratorium on GM canola) and the government assist organic production regarding barriers and opportunities for growth.
Sir Gus and co. have ignored the majority of food producers who wish to remain GM free, whatever their chosen production system.
We have no way of knowing which canola grower has planted GM canola.
There are presently no on-farm testing procedures we can use to determine GM or Non-GM.
Grain receival points at harvest will be backlogged with trucks waiting for test results to be returned (about 8-10 hours).
We will have to take the risk of unloading and hope there is no contamination traced back to that receival point.
Contract harvesters and seed graders are also in a dilemma.
Apiarists cannot determine which crops they can pollinate without risking GM contamination.
Apparently GM canola has produced very sick bees during trial pollination so the money must be very good for those apiarists to risk the health of their bees.
What are the success fees for politicians and various agri-political players to allow a pathway to market for transgenic canola? All these headaches, yet canola can be produced in healthy biodiverse soil systems without transgenic patents.
Mr Brumby’s food and agriculture dollars must be spent on food production which comes from educated producers enhancing the health of soil.
It is prevention not cure of our ills, from the soil up.
HELEN CHAMBERS,
Marong