Australia
November 7, 2005
The CBH Group
announced its support for the State Government’s decision to
introduce a tolerance for genetically modified organisms in
canola for the 2005-06 Western Australian harvest.
CBH Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Imre Mencshelyi said the
Minister’s decision to introduce a threshold level set at 0.9%
for Western Australia’s canola crop, as well as a tolerance of
0.5% for canola seed in 2006 and 2007 was appropriate given the
concern expressed by growers over having to declare their grain
does not include any genetically modified grain on their
Carter’s Delivery Form (CDF) for this harvest.
“While there is no evidence to confirm that GMO’s are present in
WA at levels any where near the tolerances prescribed by the
Primary Industries Ministerial Council, the Minster’s decision
now puts Western Australia in line with the other states and
gives growers the confidence in knowing that they are not going
to face prosecution should there be incidents of any low level
contamination from canola seed as recently reported in the
eastern states,” he said.
“In accordance with the Minister’s decision, the CBH Group will
accept grower deliveries of canola at 0.9% GM contamination for
this harvest only.
“Given that there is still a question over the level, if any, of
GM contamination in Western Australia, the introduction of
threshold levels will simply facilitate normal harvest
operations this harvest, from a storage, handling and marketing
perspective.”
Mr Mencshelyi said the CBH Group was not opposed to responsible
scientific GM trials or the release of GM crops where there is
evidence that it will provide a long-term benefit to Western
Australian growers and the industry has sufficient ability to
safeguard the integrity on the non-GM crop.
“The CBH Group is currently canvassing the opinion of growers
with regard to the issue of GM crops with early indications of
an increasing level of support for a wider scale GM trial to be
conducted in the state.
“The job of the CBH Group is to store, handle and market grain
on behalf of Western Australian growers and we will continue to
perform that role in a changing environment.”
Related release:
Australian, State
and Territory governments reach agreement on GM canola |
