Govt ‘gutless’ on GM: ABCA

AGRICULTURAL Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA) chair Ken Matthews says some Australian governments are gutless when it comes to giving farmers access to genetically modified (GM) crops.

The former secretary of both the agriculture and transport departments made the no-nonsense observation in a detailed outline of global and domestic attitudes on biotechnology at the National Farmers' Federation Congress in Canberra last week.

Mr Matthews summed up by saying Australia suffers from not having a more objective, science-based discussion about agricultural biotechnology.

Its really important that Australia has practicing farmers speak up for agricultural biotechnology because its practicing farmers that will be persuasive.

The ongoing anti-GM campaign is one of the big risks facing the technologys development, he said.

There is a great suspicion of science and scientists in public debate in Australia and there has been a very effective campaign by NGOs (non-government organisations) which has influenced public opinion.

As a result, what worries me is that environmentally responsible farmers - who tend in many other areas to be leaders of farm opinion - can often be ambivalent about GM.

The pro-GM constituency among farmers is therefore not as strong as it could be in Australia.

Mr Matthews said attitudes held by the general public, consumers, environmentalists and media were also central problems in the GM debate.

But his strongest criticism was reserved for various governments that refuse to allow GM crops to be cultivated, despite overwhelming scientific evidence.

Go here to read the rest:
Govt 'gutless' on GM: ABCA