Please write a letter to the review panel by 31 August 2007!! Form letters will have less influence so please use your own words! Give them reasons to extend the GM canola ban until 2013.
Include any evidence you have, as well as your own views. Give references where possible. You can make a difference and help keep Australia GM-free!!
Terms of Reference for the NSW Review
1. Assess the expected impacts on marketing, trade and investment of:
- extending the Act and maintaining the moratorium orders on the cultivation of GM canola;
- amending the Act and removing the moratorium orders on the cultivation of GM canola; or
- allowing the Act to expire.
2. On the basis of the above assessments, make recommendations to Government on the most appropriate option to adopt; and
3. In the event that the panel recommends extension of the legislation, recommend appropriate amendments to the legislation.
The inquiry says it will not consider human health and safety and the environment. CRAZY - Ed (However, Gene Ethics considers the cost, trade and market impacts of health and the environment can be included in your letter)
The Review Panel supports joint applications where applicable.
Include an Executive Summary in your submission.
Contact the Review Secretariat at:
GM Crop Moratorium Review Secretariat
NSW Department of Primary Industries
Locked Bag 21
ORANGE NSW 2800Telephone: 02 6763 1260
Fax: 02 6391 3167
Email: gmcrops.review@dpi.nsw.gov.auThis paper is also available at: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/reviews/gmcrops
Cc your letter to:
Premier Morris Iemma
Level 40, Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
Sydney 2000
Some ideas for your submission:
1. The economic impacts of the bans on commercial gene manipulated (GM) canola were very positive. Australia’s GM-free food supply meant:
- premiums of up to A$120/tonne for GM-free canola abroad (ABARE, 2007);
- no chronic GM contamination problems in export shipments;
- no added segregation, identity preservation or shipping costs needed for GM canola;
- competitive advantage in global canola markets as the only GM-free canola trader;
- high shopper confidence in the quality of our food supply;
- we saw that most GM crops are stalled eg: the area of GM canola globally stalled in 1999 (ISAAA, 2007).
2. If the GM canola ban expires we would have the higher costs of:
- testing, identity preservation, segregation, handling, rejected shipments, some lost markets and lower confidence in Australia’s clean, green, GM-free reputation for all foods;
- herbicide tolerant weeds (wild radish, turnip, charlock, ryegrass and barnyard grass) by outcrossing, from Roundup and Basta tolerant GM canola and from repeated use of these chemicals. Weed costs are borne by everyone - local councils, parks authorities, landcare groups, farmers, gardeners, etc.
- more pathogens in GM canola that need more spraying;
- farmers and shoppers would pay Bayer and Monsanto (EU, 2006);
- more monopoly ownership and control of chemicals and seeds;
- ensuring organic, biodynamic and conventional foods labelled GM-free were still available.
3. Extending the commercial GM canola ban would mean Australia could:
- continue to sell all foods into any market, often at premium prices;
- keep its competitive advantage over GM growers in North and South America. They often sell grain for animal feed and ethanol, not direct human consumption, for which they suffer a price penalty;
- continue to develop GM-free conventional and organic foods.
4. The moratorium on commercial GM canola should be extended until 2013, at least, because:
- no other GM crops being researched could be available in the next five years. Promises of healthier foods, drought and salt tolerant crops, longer shelf life food, etc. are just hopeful promises (Glover 2005, in Corish 2005)
- over 80% of the world’s canola production, in 20 countries, is GM-free. Only Canada and the USA grow GM herbicide tolerant canola and production has not increased since 1999;
- only three countries sold canola in world markets in 2006 - Canada 70%; USA 11%; Australia 19%. Australia is the only GM-free seller so we accessed all markets and got premiums of up to A$120 (ABARE) over the past two years. We should keep our competitive advantage;
- an EU economic report shows Bayer and Monsanto benefit most from GM crops and foods. Food is not any cheaper!
An RIRDC report on GM canola by Anderson and Jackson says:
“Hence net economic welfare for Australia would be US$28 million per year higher as a result of GM adoption, less any negative value domestic consumers place on not knowing if they may be consuming GM products. With the EU moratorium, the net economic welfare benefit to Australian producers and consumers of GM adoption in this case is estimated to be US$15 million per year. While that is $13 million less than if there is no EU moratorium, it still represents a net gain from joining the adopters of GM varieties of these four crops even if the EU moratorium remains in place. However, the average Australian farm household income would decrease with GM adoption - even with rice and wheat included - if the EU moratorium remains. … Even then, several States of Australia have continued to delay approval because they perceive insufficient economic benefit from GM crops to warrant the cost of the necessary co-existence system (which will fall more on non-GM producers, the smaller the share of GM varieties in total output) and the expected loss that would result from a downgrading of their status as a ‘clean, green, safe food’ supplier domestically and abroad.”
For a Greens NSW perspective you may visit:
http://www.iancohen.org.au/issue.aspx?id=42
Please Bcc your letter to the review panels and the Premiers in other states:
Victorian review of GM canola ban
Submissions by 17 August 2007
GM Canola Review Panel Secretariat
Department of Primary Industries
Level 19, 1 Spring Street
GPO Box 4440
Melbourne VIC 3001T: (03) 9658 4872
F: (03) 9658 4472
E: GMcanola.Review@dpi.vic.gov.auSee: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenfa.nsf/LinkView/5477226A88881F86CA2572E300074EEF89E6C67B468BD2A7CA256FB70001BAB8
Premier John Brumby
1 Treasury Place
Melbourne 3000
South Australian review of GM food crop ban
Submissions by 17 August 2007
Executive Officer
GM Crop Advisory Committee
T: 08 8207 2361 or
E: gmcropsactreview@saugov.sa.gov.auSee: http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/gmc/news
Premier Mike Rann
GPO Box 2343
Adelaide 5000
Tasmanian Review of GM Crops Act
Submissions by October 19:
Clerk of Committees
Legislative Council
Parliament House
Hobart Tas 7000T: (03) 6233 6602
F: (03) 6231 1849
E:sue.mcleod@parliament.tas.gov.auhttp://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ctee/genetech.htm
David Llewellyn
Minister for Primary industries
Franklin Square Offices
Hobart 7000
About the Author...
Joanne Hay, Editor of Nourished Magazine, Chief Nourisher and Mother of three is very grateful to live in Byron Bay and be able to share all she has learned about Nourishment. She has trained as an Acupuncturist (unfinished), Kinesiologist (finished) and parent (never finished). She serves the Weston A Price Foundation as a chapter leader. She loves sauerkraut, kangaroo tail stew, home made ice cream, her husband Wes and her kids Isaiah, Brynn and Ronin (in no particular order…well maybe ice cream first).
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