Farmers split on GM crops says survey

By MICHELLE NICHOLS

CANBERRA - Just over half of Australia's farmers would support growing genetically modified crops once they had received regulatory approval, a survey has found.

The national biotechnology agency Biotechnology Australia also found that 62 per cent of farmers in Australia, a leading agricultural exporter, would support field trials of GM crop varieties, reflecting the results of a similar survey in Britain last month.

About 14 countries are now growing GM food crops on a commercial basis, but Australia is so far growing only non-food transgenic crops, cotton and carnations.

Late last month Australian authorities approved the country's first genetically modified food crop, but planting of the hybrid canola is at least a year away because of state-based moratoriums.

The survey of 500 crop growers, the first national survey of farmers on the issue, found 49 per cent were opposed to GM crops, citing market access, unproven performance and consumer concerns as the main reasons for their opposition.

But 53 per cent said they would support GM crops once they had received regulatory approval.

And although 74 per cent of farmers said they would not consider using GM technology at this stage, if the perceived problems were resolved then 57 per cent said they would think about planting GM crops.

Opponents of biotech crops argue that adopting transgenic technology could hurt Australia's grain sales to overseas markets and voice fears about the safety of GM crops to humans, the environment, and non-GM crops.

"In contrast to those at the extreme ends of the debate, the majority of farmers have adopted a pragmatic approach to the technology and are weighing up the benefits versus the risks," said Craig Cormick, spokesman for Biotechnology Australia.

Seven out of 10 farmers wanted to see more information on GM crops, he said.

Biotechnology Australia was established by the Government to provide balanced and factual information on biotechnology.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics said GM exports now accounted for 79 per cent of maize traded worldwide, 69 per cent of soybeans, 53 per cent of cottonseed and 42 per cent of canola.

- REUTERS