Focus Area: Biotechnology

• Ag-biotech innovations reap rewards for farmers, food security and the environment

  July 17, 2020 6:00 am Comments Off on Ag-biotech innovations reap rewards for farmers, food security and the environment

  An international report just released shows the significant economic, environmental and agronomic benefits of farmers adopting GM crops.

  Chief Executive Officer of the national peak industry organisation for the plant science sector, Mr Matthew Cossey, said, “The international report from London based PG Economics confirms the importance of Australian farmers having access to innovative, safe and approved technologies to remain globally competitive and farm sustainably in a changing climate.

  “Australia was an early adopter of GM technology in cotton. We’ve been growing cotton with GM traits since 1996 and now almost all of Australia’s cotton production is GM. The economic gains and savings have been significant with an average increase of on-farm income at $27.87 per hectare and the average reduction in weed control costs at $90.95 per hectare.

  “Since 1996 GM cotton has gained Australian famers almost $1.1 billion.

  “Canola is another important crop for Australia’s farming sector with GM varieties delivering yield gains of between five to 22 per cent over their conventional counterparts. GM cotton and canola have also allowed for reductions of on-farm inputs and a reduced and more sustainable use of important crop protection chemistry.

  “On a global scale, GM crops are just as beneficial. The report shows that when farmers are given access to GM crops, more food is grown, less fuel is being used on farm and less land is needed for production.”

  Mr Cossey concluded, “In May, South Australian growers became the last mainland farmers to finally be granted access to GM crops long after their interstate competitors. South Australia embracing this agricultural technology from next season will see significant environmental and agronomic benefits with the farming sector in SA and nationally continuing to thrive.”

  Visit pgeconomics.co.uk to read the full report GM crops: global socio-economic and environmental impacts 1996-2018

• Plant science industry backs calls to get Australia growing

  July 14, 2020 1:31 pm Comments Off on Plant science industry backs calls to get Australia growing

  Australia’s plant science industry welcomes the National Farmers’ Federation’s plan for agriculture’s role in accelerating Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery and commends the NFF leadership for this important work.

  Chief Executive Officer of CropLife Australia, Mr Matthew Cossey, said, “All CropLife member companies have worked tirelessly to ensure the continued production and supply of critical crop protection and GM crop products during what has been such an important time for farming and food security and a challenging time for the nation.

  “The broader agriculture sector has been united to ensure there have been no disruptions throughout the entire supply chain that would put farming and food supply at risk.

  “Included in the NFF’s plan are specific recommendations on the agvet chemical regulatory framework and ag-biotechnology innovations. These recommendations are very achievable, aimed at improving productivity and competitiveness across Australia’s farm sector.”

   1.7 Champion a risk-based approach to genetic technologies

  Access to safe and effective gene technologies will continue to deliver agricultural productivity and sustainability improvements. The Federal Government should champion the Productivity Commission’s 2016 recommendation that state and territory restrictions on cultivating approved GM crops should be lifted. The Federal Government should also implement the recommendations from the Department of Health’s Third Review of the National Gene Technology Scheme to strengthen and modernise the national scheme.

  1.8 Prioritise reform of the agvet chemical regulatory framework

  Agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines (agvet chemicals) are a major contributor to agricultural productivity and competitiveness. The national framework for regulation of agvet chemicals is being reviewed by an expert independent panel, which is expected to report in 2021. Government must act.

  Mr Cossey continued, “The plant science industry has been under immense strain from peak domestic demand and global trade disruptions and significant increases in demand for product. All efforts remain on ensuring farmers have the products they need to farm productively.

  “Recent significant fee increases on the plant science industry, along with unjustifiable large fee increases by the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) all add costs to the farming sector and are disappointing in both their timing and their size. The Government has failed to ensure better financial management by these public sector agencies and this threatens important new innovations being available in Australia and the long‑term viability and sustainability of the plant science industry to support Australia’s farmers.

  “These fee increases can have a real impact on which critical crop protection products make it to the Australian market. With 73 per cent of the total value of Australia’s crop production enabled by crop protection products, government must be very cautious of any possible inhibitors to farmers accessing these vital products.

  “Government must not take farm-input industries for granted. We need policy settings which enable growth and innovation so our farmers can get on with their jobs during this long road to economic recovery.”

  Mr Cossey concluded, “The plant science industry has been ready and willing to assist in any way that is required to ensure no threats to food security during this pandemic. We are just as ready to play our part in the next phase of economic recovery and growing Australia’s agricultural sector.”

• Science finally prevails with GM cropping getting the green light in South Australia

  May 13, 2020 5:03 pm Comments Off on Science finally prevails with GM cropping getting the green light in South Australia

  The South Australian Parliament has finally granted the state’s farmers access to GM crop innovations after passing the government’s Bill to enable commercial GM crop cultivation on mainland South Australia.

  Chief Executive Officer of the national peak industry organisation for the plant science sector, Mr Matthew Cossey, said, “The plant science industry is delighted that science and evidence has finally prevailed on the GM cropping issue in South Australia.

  “The South Australian Government, in particular Premier Marshall and Minister Whetstone, are to be commended for their continued commitment to South Australian farmers and scientists by seeing this change through and bringing South Australia in line with other Australian mainland states.

  “GM crops have been enabling farmers in other states and around the world to improve yields, reduce carbon emissions, use natural resources and pesticides more sustainably and protect the soil through no-till farming for decades. GM crops are beneficial for farmers and the environment. Now farmers on mainland South Australia will have access to this crucial agricultural technology.

  “With challenging weather conditions and a changing climate only going to make farming harder, South Australian growers need access to every available safe and effective technology that can assist them to farm in a more environmentally sustainable way.

  “For over 20 years, approved genetically modified crops have been grown in Australia and around the world, resulting in 183 million hectares of land being saved from full tillage cropping. This has led to improved water storage, significant reduction in soil erosion and native forests being saved from becoming agricultural production land. GM crops are responsible for savings in CO¬2 emissions of 27 billion kg – the equivalent of removing 90 per cent of passenger cars registered in Australia from the road for one year.

  “South Australian farmers’ access to and adoption of GM crops will assist with the challenges of drought and climate change.

  “GM crops being trialed and developed – including by teams working at the Waite Campus in Adelaide – could help South Australian farmers combat environmental stresses such as drought, acidic soils, salinity and frost, and provide health benefits to consumers with products such as fortified cereals, healthier starches and oils modified to be lower in saturated fats and with improved cooking qualities.

  “Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas and Shadow Minister for Primary Industries & Regional Development, Eddie Hughes, must also be congratulated. They have modernised the South Australian Labor Party’s position on GM crops and now have a policy position aligned with science. They have also shown their support for modern, sustainable farming and allowing South Australia’s growers the same opportunity as their other state and international competitors.

  “I also commend the leadership of Grain Producers SA who have fought this battle for their members with passion and dedication.”

  Mr Cossey concluded, “Farmers on mainland South Australia will now have the choice to grow whichever approved crops – including GM crops – that best suit their land and business model. We look forward to seeing South Australia embrace this agricultural technology from next season and to seeing the environment and the farming sector continue to thrive.”

• Science and evidence prevail with political breakthrough on GM cropping in South Australia

  April 28, 2020 6:35 pm Comments Off on Science and evidence prevail with political breakthrough on GM cropping in South Australia

  The plant science sector is very pleased that the South Australian Government and Opposition have found agreement on the way forward to enable commercial GM crop cultivation on mainland South Australia.

  Chief Executive Officer of the national peak industry organisation for the plant science sector, Mr Matthew Cossey, said, “The plant science industry is delighted that finally science and evidence has prevailed on the GM cropping issue in South Australia.

  “I commend Premier Marshall and Minister Whetstone for their leadership, perseverance and commitment to science-based farming policy which will give South Australian farmers access to the same opportunities as their mainland state counterparts.

  “Opposition Leader, Peter Malinauskas, and Shadow Minister for Primary Industries & Regional Development, Eddie Hughes, are also to be congratulated for bringing the South Australian Labor Party back to being a political party of science and for supporting the state’s farmers in the important modernisation of public policy.

  “While the compromise is not ideal or best-practice public policy, we acknowledge the constructive work that has occurred to find agreement between the Government and the Opposition.”

  Mr Cossey concluded, “We look forward to this Bill passing the Upper House tomorrow so that farmers on mainland South Australia can have the choice to embrace this agricultural technology from next season.”

• 2020-21 Pre-budget submission

  March 10, 2020 4:42 pm Comments Off on 2020-21 Pre-budget submission

• Groundhog Day for agricultural technology in South Australia

  March 4, 2020 6:31 pm Comments Off on Groundhog Day for agricultural technology in South Australia

  For the third time the South Australian Upper House has denied the state’s farmers access to GM crops by disallowing the South Australian Government’s regulations to enable GM crop cultivation on mainland South Australia. This follows the first disallowance of the Regulations in November 2019 and the voting down of a repeal Bill in December 2019.

  Chief Executive Officer of CropLife Australia, Matthew Cossey, said, “It is very disappointing that, once again, fearmongering with no base in facts has prevailed in South Australia. The South Australian Parliament keeps ignoring the pleas of scientists and farmers to modernise and improve the sustainability of South Australia’s agricultural sector.

  “Disallowing the Regulations today was an exercise in senselessness. The arguments raised by opponents of GM technology have been proven time and time again to be hollow and without foundation.

  “In every other mainland state of Australia farmers can make the choice to grow GM crops safely and sustainably, and they’ve been doing so for years without issue. Denying South Australian farmers that same choice on the basis of irrational disproven arguments is frankly ludicrous.

  “This is no longer an academic or theoretical debate. The reality that the moratorium is not required has been proven across Australia and the world for more than 20 years.

  “The SA Upper House needs to listen to the experts that are scientists, farmers and grain-handlers. GM crops are enabling farmers to reduce carbon emissions, use pesticides more sustainably and protect the soil through no-till farming. Farmers and grain-handlers have achieved successful co-existence, storage and export for decades.”

  Mr Cossey concluded, “Repealing the GM crop moratorium on mainland South Australia is not a great leap of faith, it is simply the right thing to do, giving farmers a choice to grow whichever approved crops – including GM crops – they want to grow.”

• CropLife Australia briefing note: Gene Technology Amendment Regulations 2019

  January 30, 2020 10:30 am Comments Off on CropLife Australia briefing note: Gene Technology Amendment Regulations 2019

• SA Upper House denies farmer access to crucial agricultural technology

  December 10, 2019 6:47 pm Comments Off on SA Upper House denies farmer access to crucial agricultural technology

  Less than two weeks after disallowing the South Australian Government’s regulations to enable GM crop cultivation on mainland South Australia, the South Australian Upper House has again denied the state’s farmers access to GM crops by voting down a Bill members of the Upper House requested.

  Chief Executive Officer of CropLife Australia, Matthew Cossey, said, “It is very disappointing that once again South Australian farmers have been let down by their Parliament. The pleas of scientists and farmers to modernise and improve the sustainability of South Australia’s agricultural sector have been ignored.

  “It seems disingenuous that those who voted against the Bill proposed things such as unnecessary compensation schemes as justification for their position. Such propositions are equivalent to offering solutions to problems that don’t exist.

  “Proposing options that have been rejected in Australia and across the world after serious consideration, is not how you make good policy.”

  Mr Cossey continued, “There has not been a single legitimate instance in Australia of a non-GM or organic grower suffering a pure economic loss directly from the unintended presence of an approved GM crop.

  “Earlier this year a Western Australian Parliamentary Committee found there was no systemic GM contamination issue in WA and hence no compensation scheme is required. This is the same experience in other Australian states where GM crops are grown and across the world.

  “South Australia’s own legal system already provides the most effective mechanism should any farmer be entitled to compensation for any matter.

  “Farmers are the experts when it comes to coexistence of farming practices and grain handlers the experts at ensuring sound export, storage and handling practices are followed.

  “Growers and handlers across the world have proven their abilities and it is a dark day for the South Australian grains industry which has not been trusted to get on with what they do best and allow South Australian farming to become more sustainable and profitable.

  “This is not an academic or theoretical debate. There are examples of successful GM cropping in coexistence with other farming practices right across Australia and the world. The concerns of activists have been comprehensively disproven. There was no basis for the opposition or crossbench to vote against this Bill.”

  Mr Cossey concluded, “If the South Australian opposition and crossbenchers are serious about their support of the science of GM and the state’s farmers, then we’re committed to sitting down with them and working through what are rational and reasonable solutions to the concerns they’ve raised.”

• Put science and farming above politics

  December 3, 2019 12:30 pm Comments Off on Put science and farming above politics

  CropLife Australia welcomes the announcement from Minster for Primary Industries and Regional Development, the Hon Tim Whetstone MP, that the South Australian Government has introduced a Bill to lift the GM crop moratorium on mainland South Australia.

  GM crops already being grown across the rest of mainland Australia enable farmers to reduce carbon emissions, use pesticides more sustainably and protect the soil through no-till farming. Crops recently approved by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator address additional sustainability issues. Oil from a GM safflower can be used to replace petroleum-based raw ingredients in the manufacture of plastics and lubricants. The new omega-3 GM canola can accumulate high levels of the crucial oil that can be used as a human dietary supplement. One hectare of this new GM crop will produce as much omega-3 oil as crushing ten tonnes of fish.

  GM crops being trialed and developed – including by teams working at the Waite Campus in Adelaide –could help South Australian farmers combat environmental stresses such as drought, acidic soils, salinity and frost, and provide health benefits to consumers with products such as fortified cereals, healthier starches and oils modified to be lower in saturated fats.

  GM crops are beneficial for farmers and the environment. Matters of proven science should be above politics and we’re calling on the South Australian Parliament to allow GM crop cultivation on mainland South Australia.

  Removing the GM moratorium is about all farmers simply having a choice to grow whichever approved crops – including GM crops – best suit their land and business model so that no farmer loses out.

  Farmers in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales are proof that GM crop cultivation does successfully co-exist with non-GM and organic farming practices, whilst still enabling all premiums in the market.

  Without the moratorium on mainland South Australia, the state’s agricultural research sector would have more opportunity to develop the crops of tomorrow. If regulatory hurdles are left to stand, South Australia will continue to be bypassed.

  It comes down to the fact that South Australian farmers are still being denied access to the sustainable solution of genetically modified crops to assist with the challenges of drought and climate change. The South Australian Parliament now has another opportunity to put in place modern, science and evidence‑based legislation and give their farmers the same advantages as those in neighbouring states.

  Any member of the South Australian Parliament who is genuinely committed to environmental sustainability, science and farming should support this Bill.

• South Australian Upper House fails state’s farmers and scientists

  November 27, 2019 6:49 pm Comments Off on South Australian Upper House fails state’s farmers and scientists

  The Legislative Council’s disallowance of the South Australian Government’s regulations enabling GM crop cultivation on mainland South Australia is a serious blow to the state’s science and farming sectors.

  Some supporters of the disallowance indicated they did so because they didn’t like the process the government used. This seems like a shallow and weak excuse.

  Minister Whetstone actually adhered to the specific process of Labor’s own legislation to seek to enable farmer access to GM crops. This process enforced the most extensive community consultation obligations on the government. Through the process, the majority of people supported the GM ban to be lifted on mainland South Australia.

  The South Australian Labor Party should be embarrassed that they have voted against a process which was introduced in their own legislation in 2004. They should be further ashamed that they have shown themselves not to be a party of science.

  It is nothing short of ridiculous that in this time of drought and climate change, Labor and SA‑BEST have decided to deny farmers access to a crucial ag-biotech tool to assist in meeting these challenges and let farmers become even more environmentally sustainable.

  The Greens, SA-BEST and Labor have chosen to play politics rather than listen to the calls of scientists and farmers and improve the sustainability and profitability of their own agricultural sector.

  The most important lesson for parties that lose government to learn is that outdated, flawed policy positions must be reassessed. Access to GM crops for South Australian farmers is one of those issues. The South Australian Labor Party must update their position on agriculture if they are to be considered as a genuine alternative government.

  Mark Parnell has shown himself to be the agricultural equivalent of a climate change denier by stopping South Australia’s farmers from accessing tools to make themselves more environmentally sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint. It’s also disappointing that during the debate he chose to discredit and disregard South Australia’s leading scientists in this field and instead peddle the tired old international activists’ line.

  Labor and SA-BEST should reconsider their position, listen to farmers and scientists and work with the government to enable this important policy to be introduced at this critical time so that South Australia does not become an agricultural backwater.

  CropLife Australia, our members and the plant science industry as a whole remain committed to working constructively with South Australian Parliamentarians to achieve a better policy framework to ensure the South Australian farming and scientific sectors continue to thrive.