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Report: Cameron Wilson
A state parliamentary inquiry has heard that Tasmania could export canola seed to the world if the state's GM ban is maintained.A review is underway this week to determine if Tasmania should extend it's ban on GM crops beyond 2008.Alex Schaap from the Department of Primary Industries told the parliamentary inquiry there could be benefits from keeping the ban."One of the opportunities for Tasmania, that I hope the industry will explore, is the opportunity to actually develop a GM-free canola seed industry here, where we bulk up seed in a place that's much, much safer from GM contamination than anywhere else in the rest of the world."But canola grower from Conara Ian McKinnon, who has been a vocal supporter of GMO technology, does not agree."Well I think it would be a very small industry, and I think what Alex is missing is the point that Tasmania can participate in organic seed production , conventional seed production and GMO seed production. There's no need to lock ourselves away from all the opportunities."
In this report: Alex Schaap, general manager of DIP Biosecurity and Product Integrity Division; Ian McKinnon, canola grower
A state parliamentary inquiry has heard that Tasmania could export canola seed to the world if the state's GM ban is maintained.A review is underway this week to determine if Tasmania should extend it's ban on GM crops beyond 2008.Alex Schaap from the Department of Primary Industries told the parliamentary inquiry there could be benefits from keeping the ban."One of the opportunities for Tasmania, that I hope the industry will explore, is the opportunity to actually develop a GM-free canola seed industry here, where we bulk up seed in a place that's much, much safer from GM contamination than anywhere else in the rest of the world."But canola grower from Conara Ian McKinnon, who has been a vocal supporter of GMO technology, does not agree."Well I think it would be a very small industry, and I think what Alex is missing is the point that Tasmania can participate in organic seed production , conventional seed production and GMO seed production. There's no need to lock ourselves away from all the opportunities."
In this report: Alex Schaap, general manager of DIP Biosecurity and Product Integrity Division; Ian McKinnon, canola grower
2 comments:
Really, the thought that you can segregate across paddocks is pure myth. It is only a matter of time before the next door neighbour's crop is fully contaminated.
What opportunities? Being locked down to multinational GM companies and their whims to what they are going to charge. Alex is really pushing it with that comment.
The other thing that I forgot to mention is that Alex is clearly not obeying the guidelines of DIP.
They are Risk Assessment, risk Management and risk Communication. He is not communicating with the rest of Tasmania where there is a clear evidence of angst against GM. He is clearly not looking at the true health issues, or contamination problems and clearly not looking at Tasmania's customers and finding out that they do not want GM either.
Clearly he is not doing his job for Tasmanians and if he's not is he getting paid by the GM companies or some company that is clearly pro-GM? There must be something that is causing his blatant blindfolded ideas. Or is he just too lazy to look at the real issues?
Justaconsumer
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