The Grains Council of Australia (GCA) is confident that the canola industry stewardship protocols released by the Gene Technology Grains Committee (GTGC) in December 2002 will enable co-existence of genetically modified (GM) and conventional canola production and supply chains.

Following consideration of the protocols at the recent GCA Executive Meeting, the President of the GCA, Mr Keith Perrett said today "the GCA supports the protocols, noting that the document is a framework and is subject to further review".

"The protocols are an essential element of the regulatory and industry-generated mechanisms that are required before the commercial release of GM crops is possible".

The protocols were open for comment until 16 February 2003 and will now be reviewed by the GTGC (made up of representatives of organisations across the grains industry and the companies developing the GM technology) to take into account feedback received.

The Gene Technology Regulator is currently considering two applications for the commercial release of GM canola under the provisions of the Gene Technology Act 2000. This is mainly directed at the question of whether there would be any human health or environmental impacts from such releases and it is expected that Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plans (RARMPs) will be released for public comment in the near future.

Mr Perrett explained that the GCA Executive had previously considered the issues associated with the applications for release of GM crops and believed that GM crops have the potential to provide productivity benefits for Australian farmers. On that basis, GCA had supported the limited commercial release of GM canola, provided the protocols for co-existence being developed by the GTGC receive industry support.

"Graingrowers need to be in a position to capitalise on the potential benefits that can be gained from improved disease and pest resistance, better agronomic traits or through savings from farming practices such as reduced till, or reduced chemical inputs," Mr Perrett said.

"However, there is a need to uphold the ‘co-existence’ principle. That means that growers choosing to grow conventional crops should not be prevented from differentiating and marketing those products as non-GM by accidental contamination from GM varieties. The seed production, cropping and handling and transport systems must be able to preserve the identity of both GM and non-GM crops and ensure the integrity of those crops by avoiding cross contamination."