AUSTRALIA: Research group worries about impact of GM-free zones

The Council of Grain Grower Organisations (CGGO), an agricultural research group situated in West Australia, has expressed concern over the impact of an expected announcement by WA primary industry minister Kim Chance that the state will be a GM Free zone. CGGO chairman Bruce Piper claims that the much-anticipated decision to make WA a GM-free zone would be disastrous. He told ABC Rural News that on top of the recent US farm bill subsidies, the GM-free zoning means that local farmers “are going to become very uncompetitive in the world market”.

May 21, 2002

CGGO chairman Bruce Piper claims that the much-anticipated decision to make WA a GM-free zone would be disastrous. He told ABC Rural News that on top of the recent US farm bill subsidies, the GM-free zoning means that local farmers “are going to become very uncompetitive in the world market”.

Investment will be harder to come by and the laws will mean a brain drain as agricultural technologists go elsewhere, he said, adding: “There’ll be no future in WA”.