The Western Australian
Original Publish Date: July 22, 2008
WA farmers hope a proposed trial of genetically modified cotton in the East Kimberley will force the State Government to drop its ban on commercial GM crops.
Pesticide giant Monsanto’s application to grow a test crop of the GM cotton was announced on the Federal Gene Technology Regulator’s website, which said it was open for public comment until the end of next month.
The company is testing to see if the variety needs less water.
No start date or location has been settled for the small trial. Both Federal and State regulators have to approve it.
GM cotton also would be grown in NSW and Queensland in the trial.
WA Farmers Federation president Mike Norton said it was a healthy sign that Monsanto was testing a crop in WA and supported his case to force the Government to reconsider the moratorium. “If they are going to support it for cotton, why not canola?” Mr Norton said. “We’ve been pressing (to drop the ban) because this State is going to fall further behind other States.
“The experts reckon it’s about a five-year lead time on this technology … and there is a real push for research to start.”
The trial would provide valuable information on whether a cotton crop could be grown in the north.
“They tried cotton when they first developed the Ord River but the bugs got to it,” he said.
Agriculture Minister Kim Chance yesterday backed the trial, which will require his approval. “We’re very enthusiastic about the trial,” he said.
However, he ruled out any immediate changes to the moratorium, saying there was overwhelming opposition to GM crops.
The Government had been researching growing GM cotton in Kununurra for 11 years.
To sustain an industry, between 10,000ha and 20,000ha would need to be grown because a cotton gin would need to be built locally to process the crop.
“If there is going to be a cotton industry in the Ord Valley, it will have to be GM,” he said.
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