State Government appoints Prof Kym Anderson to review SA’s genetically modified crop ban
ECONOMICS emeritus professor Kym Anderson will undertake an independent review on South Australia’s genetically modified crop ban, which is in place until 2025.
ECONOMICS emeritus professor Kym Anderson will undertake an independent review of South Australia’s genetically modified crop ban, which is in place until 2025.
Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone will today announce Prof Anderson’s appointment in front of industry representatives at the Growing SA annual conference, in Hahndorf.
Mr Whetstone said Prof Anderson was chosen for his globally recognised experience and expertise as an applied policy analyst in the economics of agriculture, food and wine.
The news is expected to be welcomed by the state’s grain producers, who have called for GM crops to be allowed in SA, saying they are at a disadvantage being the only mainland state with a moratorium.
Despite their calls, Parliament last year decided to extend the controversial GM ban from 2019 to 2025.
“There was no attempt by Labor to assess whether the moratorium was good or bad for the economy or our grains and agricultural industries,” Mr Whetstone said.
“There was no effort made to ask what impact the policy would have over the next six years on business investment, job opportunities and SA’s reputation as a world-leading location for plant industry research and development.”
Mr Whetstone said the review would provide the opportunity for people to provide real evidence as to the benefits or cost of the policy.
Grain Producers SA commissioned its own report this year by market analysts Mercardo, which found growers did not receive a premium as a result of the moratorium.
Instead, the report found since 2012 non-GM canola at SA export ports had traded two to three per cent below ports in Geelong, Vic, and Kwinana, in WA.
Associate Professor Stuart Smyth, of the University of Saskatchewan, yesterday spoke to industry representatives on the benefits of GM, ahead of today’s conference.
Prof Smyth said GM development had lowered the use of chemicals on crops, boosted farmer incomes and increased production leading to improved food security globally.
In the US alone, GM corn adoption had created about $7 billion in annual benefits, while western Canada received $350-400 million annually from the production of GM canola, he said.
Prof Smyth said the university also had researched the cost of moratoriums on Australian farmers, compared to Canadian farmers 10 years after GM was commercialised.
“On the economic side, it cost your farmers almost half a billion dollars over that decade, because they didn’t have access to higher yielding varieties,” he said.
The Government’s independent review will look at SA’s moratorium market benefits, its awareness on key trading partners and the costs and benefits of maintaining, modifying or removing the ban.
The review will not consider matters of health, safety and environmental affects, as regulation of these aspects of gene technology are covered under Commonwealth legislation.
The review will inform policy decision regarding GM crops in SA. Public submissions are due by October 26 and the review should be completed in the first quarter of next year.