Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke told the UN Food and Agriculture Organization overnight that he believes GM crops could play a vital role in coping with a global food shortage and climate change. The GM debate continues to be fuelled, with some arguing they are a solution to a potential crisis, while others fear they will merely create more problems. Studies suggest, however, that the majority of consumers are still to make up their mind. Greenpeace last month released a report, ‘Eating... ...Read more »

  Greenpeace has questioned the approval process used by food standards body FSANZ, with the environmental activists reporting that eight leading scientists have endorsed their new report critiquing the regulation of genetically engineered (GE) food in Australia. The report, Eating in the Dark, calls for an urgent independent review of the safety assessment regime for GE food, and for all foods derived from GE crops to be labelled. The report argues that Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)... ...Read more »

Research released UK by food and grocery expert IGD suggests that consumers want more information on Genetically Modified (GM) foods before forming a strong opinion one way or the other. IGD has closely monitored consumer attitudes to GM food, alongside many other issues, over the last ten years. The latest research involved IGD talking to 7,000 shoppers during spring and early autumn 2008. The research shows that opinions have changed very little since the issue reached mass public attention almost... ...Read more »

Ninety per cent of Australians want all genetically modified (GM) products labelled and are less likely to purchase such products, according to a recent Newspoll poll. According to the poll, which was commissioned by anti-GM campaigners Greenpeace, when asked if food products from GM crops and animals fed with GM feed should or should not be labelled, 90% of the respondents said they should be labelled. The 25-34 age group was the most keen for labelling of GM food (95%), with the 18-24 age group... ...Read more »

Genetically Modified (GM) crops continue to polarise opinion, with the WA Opposition indicating they will allow trials of GM canola and permit the planting of GM cotton if they triumph in September’s election. The Labor Government has, however, remained steadfast in their belief that the state should remain GM-free, with Premier Alan Carpenter indicating a moratorium on GM crops will remain if he is re-elected. “I will not, in the next term of government, allow GM crops to be grown on... ...Read more »

Gene Ethics has disputed claims by the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) that they exhibited a lack of ethics when publishing the suspected sites of GM crop farming in Victoria. Gene Ethics published a map of commercial Genetically Modified (GM) canola sites on their website on Tuesday in response to their concern about GM-crops. “Gene Ethics presents its online map of commercial GM canola sites being grown this winter as a service to the Victorian public,” claimed Bob Phelps,... ...Read more »

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has labelled moves by anti-GM group Gene Ethics, to place a list of names and property locations of farmers supposedly growing GM Canola on their website, as a disgrace. The map includes the property location of Victorian Premier John Brumby. VFF President, Simon Ramsay said that the release of unconfirmed maps of supposed GM Canola sites with the names of property owners was appalling. “This is a disgraceful and unsubstantiated witch hunt and shows how... ...Read more »

The National Research Council Canada (NRC) and the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have signed an agreement to collaborate on genetic research to improve the production of canola. They are hoping to increase the yield of canola to capitalise on skyrocketing demand for healthy oils. Over the next five years, the Oil Crops Research Institute will contribute $300,000 in cash and the NRC Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC-PBI) will contribute $210,000 worth... ...Read more »

Scientists in the UK are calling for the Government to allow them to keep sites for GM crop trials a secret in the wake of continued vandalising of crops by protesters. Under current European Union rules the sites of GM trials are required to be disclosed to the public and this has led to most of the 54 sites used in Britain since the turn of the century being damaged at some stage by protesters. Professor Howard Atkinson of Leeds University, whose pest-resistant potato study was destroyed in June,... ...Read more »

Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke has begun his WA tour and plans to discuss the future of GM food production in Australia with key members of the WA State Government. The decision to discuss GM foods with the WA Government comes following concerns raised by WA Premier Alan Carpenter last month. Mr Carpenter called for compulsory labelling of foods that contain Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients and an immediate halt to the approval of all GM foods in Australia until more is known about... ...Read more »