Australian farmers free to produce GM canola

CANBERRA - Australia gave the long-awaited clearance yesterday to the use of genetically modified canola, paving the way for the planting of the country's first GM food crop after an eight-week period of public consultation.

Australia's gene technology regulator, Sue Meek, said for nine months she had consulted various experts during her investigation into an application by Germany's Bayer CropScience to commercially release seven varieties of GM canola.

"The conclusion I have reached ... is that this GM canola poses no higher risk to human health and safety or the environment than is currently posed by the farming of conventional, non-genetically modified canola," Meek said.

Canola, widely used as cooking oil around the world, could become Australia's first GM food crop. Cotton and carnations are the only transgenic crops so far commercially grown in Australia.

Bayer CropScience's application was one of two applications seeking approval for GM canola before the regulator after years of debate and official inquiries. US-based Monsanto has also applied.

Rapid expansion of Australia's canola industry, to 2.4 million tonnes in 1999-2000 from just 200,000 tonnes in 1991-1992, has made it the world's second biggest exporter after Canada.

Meek's comments came as she released a risk assessment and management plan for public scrutiny and comment until May 26.

This timeframe means farmers could be given the green light to plant GM canola for the 2003-2004 crop year, with last plantings usually done in late June.

Meek said that as with the non-GM product, the genetically modified crop was of minimal risk.

"Therefore, only ongoing oversight requirements are included in the proposed licence conditions that I have set down in the draft risk assessment and risk management plan," she said.

All of the GM canola varieties proposed by Bayer had been previously trialled under limited and controlled conditions in Australia.

Their oils, used in human food, had all been assessed and approved by the responsible food regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand. "I have found no appreciable risks that would adversely affect human health or the environment," Meek said.

* A recent report from the University of Melbourne said Australia could boost canola production by about 20 per cent a year by introducing a GM crop.

- REUTERS