More than 40 people gathered at the Katoomba YHA on February 2 to demand that the Labor state governments in NSW and Victoria overturn their decisions to end the ban on the commercial growing of genetically modified (GM) canola. From March this year, NSW farmers can apply to grow GM canola. A highlight of the seminar was a video of Dr Judy Carman, an internationally recognised Australian epidemiologist, talking about the risks posed by GM crops and foods. The meeting was organised by the Katoomba-based Blue Mountains Food Co-op, the directors of which have called for GM food crops to remain banned in NSW and Victoria.