This is a subscriber-only article
Farmers everywhere in the world have problems, regardless of climate, just different ones.
In Australia, individual provinces have different rules about growing GM crops; most can, some can’t.
One of the main GM crops grown is canola (oilseed rape), but the provinces that do not allow the cultivation of a GM crop also ban its transport through that jurisdiction.
This seriously increases the cost of land transport in a country as big as Australia.
Herbicide-tolerant GM canola
Herbicide-tolerant GM canola can be grown in most provinces on mainland Australia, but it is banned in south Australia. This generates a complex scenario for the supply chain.
There are real issues for growers in neighbouring provinces growing GM crops bordering south Australia, and also for the grain handlers who would wish to transport grains through the province for shipping.
That said, Australian growers state that the EU market is critical for their non-GM canola, as it is one of the few markets in the world that demands non-GM product. For this reason, Australian growers are happy to see the EU maintain its non-GMO stance.
SHARING OPTIONS: