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72 SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2015 STATUS AUSTRALIA Despite a premium of up to 20 a tonne for growing non genetically-modified GM canola Australian farmers are increasingly turning to GM technology to improve yields and on-farm weed management. Thats accord- ing to Australian Oilseeds Federation executive director Nick Goddard. GM crops are grown in Victoria New South Wales and Western Australia while South Australia has a GM crop moratorium in place until September 2019 and Tasmania has one in place until November 2019. This year about 13 percent of canola grown in Victoria will be Roundup Ready 11 percent in New South Wales and 30 percent in Western Australia according to Monsanto Australia. Since Western Australia started growing GM in 2010 the uptake has been phenom- enal Goddard says. It fits so well into their farming sys- tems and their weed manage- ment programs. Goddard says this was despite overseas markets paying a premium. The European market wants non-GM because it gives them a choice of either using it for human consumption or biodiesel and then canola meal as livestock feed after that he explains. But even with a premium Western Australia growers continue to grow GM because they are world STATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe. While many leaders and farmers in countries such as Australia India and Pakistan make moves toward the adoption of genetically-modified crops and using advanced agricultural technologies Germany remains steadfast against it. seeing a benefit in-field for weed management. Goddard says the Australian Oilseeds Federation was nei- ther for nor against GM crops. Our role is to make sure market choice can be met he notes. However our expec- tation is that the GM canola industry will continue to grow particularly as that is where all the major seed companies are focusing their breeding research. But Goddard says there would always be a premium for non-GM crops. That premium is needed to fund growers that are going to end up recording poorer yields paying higher input costs on weed manage- ment and eventually paying higher segregation costs he says. Once that GM por- tion overtakes non-GM it will be harder to manage in the supply chain and higher costs will be associated with that. Darren Arney Grain Producers South Australia chief executive officer says the economic benefit to South Australia farmers of remaining GM-free had yet to be quanti- fied. The state governments moratorium is based on a supposed price premium but they havent showed us the marketing advan- tage of staying GM-free he says. Segregation has been successful interstate so farmers that wished to remain non-GM would not be disadvantaged by farmers that were growing GM. Grain Producers South Australia believes the moratorium should be lifted to give farm- ers the choice of whether they grow it or not. Source Stock Journal. STATUS GERMANY Despite being a major consumer of genetically engi- neered products there is little prospect of developing a German market for GE crops or foods according to the latest Global Agricultural Information Network report for Germany. The report produced by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Foreign Agricultural Services states that public rejection of GE crops is widespread there is no commercial GE crop in production the govern- ment has banned planting of EU-approved GE crops and no foods labeled as GE are sold in Germany. Germany is the most popu- lous and economically power- ful country in the European Union. It is quite influential in agricultural policy both within the EU and globally. And Germans are usually willing to innovate and be open to new technology but agriculture biotechnology occupies a unique political space accord- ing to the reports summary. The report notes that German society remains conflicted about agricultural biotechnol- ogy and this is reflected in mixed government policies. Public rejection of genetically engineered crops is wide-