The 2011 total winter wheat crop is expected to be Australia’s third-largest on record, according to a new industry report released by specialist agribusiness bank, Rabobank. Rabobank estimates the wheat crop at 25.6 million tones for winter, despite variable crop conditions along the east coast and in South Australia. The expected increase in Western Australian production should compensate for the anticipated fall in the East Coast production. Rabobank senior analyst Dean Smith said that Spring... ...Read more »

The impact of fungal diseases on canola crops could be drastically reduced according to scientists from The University of Queensland, who are trying to crack the genetic code of a close canola relative. In a statement released today, the scientists said their research could have major ramifications for Australia’s export trade as the world’s second-largest canola exporter. Dr David Edwards and Dr Jacqueline Batley from The University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences,... ...Read more »

Leading Australian scientists claim that the discovery of large, widely dispersed populations of genetically engineered canola growing uncultivated in the US is no cause for concern. A study just published by the online journal PLoS ONE reported on the genetically modified canola growing ‘wild’ in North Dakota. The “escaped” plants were found statewide and accounted for 45% of the total roadside plants sampled in the study. The study’s author, Meredith Schafer from the University... ...Read more »

Despite floods, locusts and heavy rain, Victoria’s food producers have broken production records for wheat, barley and canola, said Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh today. Walsh said the season’s results were an absolute credit to the state’s grains industry, which had faced extremely difficult conditions this year. “Although quality suffered because of the wet and results varied from paddock to paddock and farm to farm, the season still produced a big harvest,”... ...Read more »

NASAA have confirmed reports that longstanding WA grower, Steve Marsh, has recently been the victim of GM contamination despite his best efforts to avoid it. Following confirmation that the genetically manipulated (GM) canola plants have indeed contaminated Steve Marsh’s certified organic farm from a neighboring property, NASAA has decertified the affected portion of his farm (325 ha’s) until it can be demonstrated that these areas are GM free. For future certification to be regained... ...Read more »

A West Australian organic farmer is in limbo, awaiting state government test results and facing genetic manipulation giant Monsanto’s legal wrath. Steve Marsh’s organic farm has been decertified over GM canola contamination from a neighbour’s farm.Monsanto revealed today that it would give legal support to the GM grower if Mr Marsh sought redress for his losses through the courts. “For years we called for Farmer Protection laws because GM contamination was inevitable once... ...Read more »

A West Australian organic farmer has found genetically manipulated (GM) canola seeds contaminating nearly two thirds of his arable land. Australian organic standards mandate zero tolerance for any GM so he will consider suing for financial loss, the first case of its kind in Australia. Steve Marsh says he used test strips to identify the seeds of GM canola which have blown more than 1.5 km inside his boundary and contaminated about 220 hectares. He believes the seed may have blown in after a neighbouring... ...Read more »

Feral GM canola weeds have been discovered on roadsides in Western Victoria. Canola farmer Geoff Carracher discovered the GM canola weeds and sent them to Gene Ethics for testing, which showed up positive.The GM contamination has already started spreading further: upon a later inspection of the GM canola weeds, near Bringalbert, north of Apsley, Mr Carracher, from the Network of concerned Farmers, noticed some of them had been eaten by nearby sheep. “These rogue GM plants are probably from... ...Read more »

Three European grain traders, AgroTrace, Holtermann and Eurograin, have sent a letter to WA Premier Colin Barnett stating that they will not buy Western Australian grain if GM canola is grown. The letter, dated February 26, directly addresses the WA government’s motion to exempt Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® GM canola from restrictions on GM crops, which passed last month by a narrow margin. A copy of the letter was sent unsolicited to GM-free group Gene Ethics last weekend. “Without... ...Read more »

Western Australian farmers will now be able to plant genetically modified canola crops, after a disallowance motion by the Western Australian Labor Opposition failed last week. The hotly-debated motion was opposed by WA Labor and Greens, and attended by protesters and lobby groups from both sides. Two Liberal Members, South Perth MLA John McGrath and Southern River MLA Peter Abetz, threatened to cross the floor after pressure from their electorates over health and safety concerns. Mr Abetz identified... ...Read more »