Listen: Why farmers need GMO options to fight climate change

Andy Thompson. Photo / File

Andy Thompson has read a "fair chunk" of the Productivity Commission report and has found it wanting.

The former West Coast cow cocky was fired up when he spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay, saying the report is "very, very, very light on innovation and technology."

Mackay suggests Thompson is in good company as outgoing chief science adviser Sir Peter Gluckman agrees with many of his points in a report released yesterday.

Gluckman says it's time for a public debate on the use of GMOs because of the potential of some "super-grasses" to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

Thompson says "New Zealand farmers are being asked to fight it [climate change] with one arm tied behind our back. We are not allowed to use the technology that is going to effectively save the planet."

Listen below:

It seems that nobody is keen to enter into a debate about these super-grasses says Thompson, who has noted that both the Green Party and National seem to have put the issue on the backburner.

"If New Zealand farmers are being asked to fight climate change we need to be able to debate and look at all of the options," says Thompson.