WA producers face delayed access to GM wheat

Western Australian grain growers may face delayed access to new genetically modified salt and frost tolerant wheat varieties developed locally by Grain Biotech Australia.

Western Graingrowers Committee of the Pastoralists and Graziers' Association chairman Leon Bradley said that a WA moratorium on GM crops imposed by Agriculture Minister Kim Chance until 2008 would force GBA to market its new salt and frost tolerant wheat varieties overseas.

"It is incredible that the state with one of the biggest saltland problems in the world, has a minister who is prepared to hinder the technological advances that can help to make salt affected country productive again," Mr Bradley said.

Mr Bradley said it was time for the minister to ignore the GM scaremongers in favour of encouraging WA's progressive young farmers to resume their position of world leadership in dryland farming by allowing access to new varieties as they became available.

"It is not only the rising cost of salt, but also big increases in fuel, fertiliser and farm chemicals that can now only be beaten using the higher yields and greater efficiency of GM crops," he said.

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MEDIA RELEASE
8th May 2006

WA PRODUCERS DENIED SALT BREAKTHROUGH

WA grains leader Leon Bradley has warned that local producers will be the last graingrowers in the world to benefit from new GM salt and frost tolerant wheat varieties developed in WA by Grain Biotech Australia.

Mr Bradley, Chairman of the Western Graingrowers Committee of the Pastoralists and Graziers' Association said a WA moratorium on GM crops imposed by Agriculture Minister Kim Chance until 2008, would force GBA to market its new salt and frost tolerant wheat varieties overseas. The varieties have produced 23 percent higher seed weights than conventional wheats in trials on salt land at Corrigin.

"It is incredible that the State with one of the biggest saltland problems in the world, has a Minister who is prepared to hinder the technological advances that can help to make salt affected country productive again."

"He is apparently happy for our farmers to continue losing the fight against salt while technology developed in WA as a solution to the salt land problem is forced offshore."

Mr Bradley said it was time for the Minister to ignore the GM scaremongers in favour of encouraging WA's progressive young farmers to resume their position of world leadership in dryland farming by allowing access to new varieties as they became available.

"The Minister is on the wrong track and the cost of his mistake is already being borne by WA producers.

"It is not only the rising cost of salt, but also big increases in fuel, fertiliser and farm chemicals that can now only be beaten using the higher yields and greater efficiency of GM crops," he said.