2007-06-25 | permalink

West Australian Agriculture Minister thinks about ending GE cotton ban

Agriculture Minister Kim Chance has raised the prospect of ending the State Government’s moratorium on genetically modified cotton, promising the controversial policy will be clarified before new expressions of interest are called for the long-awaited expansion of the Ord River irrigation scheme. The Government’s opposition to GM cotton is part of a moratorium that bans all GM crops and is not due to be reviewed until the end of next year. But the policy has been criticised by agriculture experts, who say GM cotton is more profitable than sugar, uses far less water and is integral to the expansion of the Ord.

• The West Australian, Australia: Chance flags GM cotton rethink in Ord stage two
• Farm Weekly, Australia: WA Nationals want GM cotton
• Stock & Land, Australia: GM: Time to ditch States’ GM bans - Crombie
• Farm Weekly, Australia: WA support grows for an end to GM crop bans
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia: Opposition says Govt not committed to Ord expansion
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia: SA dairy group supports use of GM feed