Growers’ push: stop going against GM grain

The grain industry is leading a push for South Australia to lift its moratorium on genetically modified crops.

‘A really dumb debate’ ... Grain Producers SA director Adrian McCabe in a field of canola at his Alma, South Australia, property. Picture: James Elsby

The grain industry is leading a push for South Australia to fall into line with other mainland states and lift its moratorium on genetically modified crops.

The state’s new Liberal government has commissioned an independent review that could recommend overturning the ban.

Any change, which would primarily affect canola growers, must pass state parliament.

Aside from limiting cultivation techniques, the moratorium creates significant logistics issues and additional industry costs as West Australian growers are unable to transport GM seed through South Australia to the eastern states, and vice versa.

Victoria and NSW lifted GM moratoriums a decade ago. Western Australia followed in 2010 and two years ago the Barnett government passed laws to remove all state control over the growth of GM crops.

The South Australian review, by academic Kym Anderson, will focus on the economics of the ban. It will be completed in the first quarter of next year.

Labor and the Greens late last year extended the moratorium from 2019 to 2025 just months before the South Australian election in March, in which the first Liberal government in 16 years came to power.

The Greens and Labor argue South Australia’s non-GM status results in growers being paid a premium, but research commissioned by Grain Producers SA found otherwise. The study, conducted by agricultural analysts Mercardo, found the moratorium had not resulted in a trade and marketing advantage for most producers in South Australia.

“Labor ran a scare campaign on what they called ‘financial issues’ … it was a really dumb debate,” grain grower and Grain Producers SA director Adrian McCabe said.

“It was all about them winning votes in Adelaide.”

Mr McCabe, who grows ­canola in both South Australia and NSW, said the ban was ­ideologically driven and ignorant of science.

“We’re frozen in time … other states look at us and think we’re laughable,” he said.

“Do I want to go wall-to-wall canola? No. But I want the choice.”

GM crops regularly produce better yields and higher oil content, experts say. Grain Producers SA chief executive Caroline Rhodes is lobbying for an ­“evidence-based approach” rather than a “political ideology captured by the anti-GM movement”.

“Our position is not about picking winning production systems, but rather enabling all producers to have the freedom of individual choice in their own businesses,” she said.

Labor is broadly supportive of the review despite last year’s extension. Primary industries spokesman Eddie Hughes denied the party had changed its policy.

Greens MP Mark Parnell questioned Professor Anderson’s objectivity because “he was on the record as saying he is sceptical of whether there is any advantage in staying GM-free”.

“On the other hand, he’s uncritically accepted most of the benefits of GM crops,” he said.

SA Best, which holds two crucial votes in the upper house, urged “extreme caution” in lifting the moratorium.