CSIRO has applied to the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to release up to 232 GM-wheat ‘‘lines’’, or plants derived from a single genetically-modified plant, and 41 barley lines from May next year. The plan will be put out for public consultation next month. [...] Earlier this month Greenpeace tried again, seeking information CSIRO held about the impacts of GM wheat, but was refused access to one document that had been classified commercial-in-confidence. Two other documents were partially released. Mr Craig said the [Office of the Gene Technology Regulator] wanted to educate the public about the benefits of GM wheat, including rust-resistant strains.

WA’s non-genetically modified grain sector could vanish within the next 10 years due to contamination from GM crops, some farmers and conservation groups fear. Nic Dunlop, environmental science and policy co-ordinator for the Conservation Council of WA, says feral GM canola plants have been found on road verges in the state’s Esperance district some 20 kilometres away from the nearest GM crop. The discovery shows that the requirement for a five-metre gap between GM and non-GM crops under the state government’s limited commercial-size trials is ineffective.

A Wheatbelt farmer says he will not rule out legal action if authorities find genetically modified canola seed on his farm. Cunderdin farmer Ian James says recent hail and heavy rain has washed GM canola seeds eight metres from a neighbouring property into his non-GM canola field. [...] The Department of Agriculture and Food says it has taken samples of the seeds from the property to determine if they are genetically modified. The Pastoralists and Graziers Association has labelled Mr James’s allegations an emotive publicity stunt by anti-GM crusaders.

CBH is to open its Tambellup receival site to accept genetically modified canola this harvest, despite only five farmers in the shire of Broomehill-Tambellup growing GM crops. The move to accept deliveries of GM seed at Tambellup has raised eyebrows among local farmers who questioned why it was chosen over Cranbrook, which was used last year, especially if seed was to travel back through the Cranbrook townsite to the Albany port if sold onto the export market.

OPPOSITION Agriculture Minister Mick Murray has called for the implementation of emergency spillage procedures for genetically modified seed and grain spills after a Williams farmer reported GM canola plants growing on the side of Albany Highway after a truck spill in August. Mr Murray said to minimise the threat of contamination, clean-up procedures for GM needed to be handled with more stringent protocols and not treated the same as non-GM seed spills. He said strict quarantine and long-term monitoring after clean-ups was needed to ensure GM seed spills were handled better in WA.

WA’s biggest private grain grower John Nicoletti, who is based in Merredin, said wheat growing technology and innovation had peaked for his farm business and is only capable of wielding minimal influence on its future viability. Speaking to Rural Press about the future of wheat growing for Australian farmers, Mr Nicoletti said genetically modified wheat research might bring some future benefits in the years ahead. But any new varieties, possibly with frost tolerance or drought resistance, are at least seven to 10 years away from commercialisation.

Wine producers say they aren’t interested in growing genetically modified vines despite the development of GM varieties resistant to common funguses. An Adelaide scientist has developed genetically modified grape vines that are resistant to powdery and downy mildew. The funguses caused millions of dollars in damage to vines last summer. But spokesperson for the WA wine industry association, John Griffiths, says consumers aren’t interested in buying GM wines. “Until the community tells us that they accept [GM wine] we’re not going down that path,” he said.

The agricultural use of genetically modified plants has been a subject of disagreement, debate and bitter conflict around the globe. Sectors of Australian science experienced this recently when field trials of GM wheat were destroyed by protesters. Why should Australia consider producing GM wheat? Is it a viable solution to the problems it seeks to address?

On 21 September 2011, the Committee delivered its report on the Patent Amendment (Human Genes and Biological Materials) Bill 2010. Recommending that ”the Senate should not pass the Bill”, the Committee expressed concern that the Bill could have ”a large number of unintended consequences across the entire patent system with indeterminate impacts on a range of industries and sectors”. Three Senators, all of whom had originally sponsored the Bill, disagreed with this majority decision of the Committee and released a separate dissenting report.

BUSINESS SA has called for the state ban on genetically modified crops to be lifted for the sake of the food industry and consumers. SA is the only mainland state to have a legal ban on GM commercial crop production and crop trials. Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan says the ban is holding back our food industry. ”It is essential that our food-processing sector implements some key initiatives to ensure our long-term contribution to the global food supply chain,” he said.