The Greens and environmental groups have condemned the lifting of a ban on genetically-modified (GM) canola crops in New South Wales and Victoria. New South Wales Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says the move will be good for the environment, because GM canola will require less pesticides than non-GM crops. He says the failure to allow the commercial growing of GM canola has seen the state’s farmers miss out on valuable export opportunities and lifting the ban will put the state’s farmers on a level playing field with overseas producers.