New South Wales Strikes Another Blow Against Monsanto--No GE Canola

Biotech giant fails in bid for huge GM crop trial in Australia
Thu Apr 1

SYDNEY (AFP) - Biotechnology giant Monsanto has failed in a bid to establish
a commercial-scale trial of genetically modified (GM) crops in Australia
after objections from the country's main wheat exporter.

The New South Wales state government said Thursday it had rejected an
application by Monsanto to grow 3,000 hectares (7,410 acres) of GM canola.

NSW Agriculture Minister Ian Macdonald said the Australian Wheat Board had
raised concerns that the trial could hurt Australia's multi-billion dollar
wheat export market.

"AWB is the largest exporter by a significant factor, we have to be very
careful we don't upset their markets," he said.

Monsanto said it was extremely disappointed with the decision. "The biggest
losers are NSW farmers and the environment in which they farm," Monsanto
executive director Claude Gauchat said.

The rejection further widens restrictions on GM crops in Australia --
Western Australian and Tasmanian state government both announced plans last
month for outright bans and Victoria state on Wednesday extended a
moratorium on GM crops until 2008.

The federal government is powerless to overturn the bans, even though it
strongly supports use of the technology.

The National Farmers Federation said Australia needed large, commercial
scale trials of GM crops if it was to remain competitive with global rivals.

"We are concerned that we may be putting ourselves at a disadvantage with
other countries that are doing these large-scale trials," federation
president Peter Corish said.

Australia has limited plantings of two GM crops, cotton and carnations, and
the gene technology regulator has also approved two types of GM canola.

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GM food crops get taken off the menu

By Caitlin Fitzsimmons and Megan Saunders

The Australian
02apr04

PLANS to grow genetically modified food crops in Australia are on hold
indefinitely, after the NSW Government ruled out a 3000-hectare trial of GM
canola.

The shock decision came a week after Western Australia imposed an outright
ban on GM food crops, and Victoria extended its moratorium for another four
years.

NSW Agriculture Minister Ian Macdonald vetoed the 3000ha commercial trial,
despite his own GM advisory committee recommending it go ahead.

Mr Macdonald said there would be no coexistence trial of GM crops for at
least another year, but he would allow three small scientific trials
covering a total of 420ha.

"It's a good balanced decision - it will enable the farming community to
evaluate what benefits, if any, there are," Mr Macdonald said.

"By taking a cautious, staged approach, NSW is neither ruling out the
potential of this technology nor jumping in without more science to guide
us."

The decision is a major blow to chemical giants Monsanto and Bayer, who
wanted to plant enough GM canola to fill a single shipping container, in an
effort to ease farmers' concerns about coexistence with non-GM agriculture
and possible rejection by consumers.

Monsanto had no comment yesterday, but Bayer CropScience BioScience general
manager Susie O'Neill said coexistence trials were essential and she was
"very disappointed" by the decision.

The federal regulator approved Monsanto's Roundup Ready canola and Bayer's
InVigor canola as safe for human health and consumption last year, but final
approval rests with the states.

The NSW decision blocks possible commercialisation of GM canola in the short
term, as Tasmania and South Australia also have moratoriums, and the climate
in Queensland and the Northern Territory is too warm to grow canola crops.