THE first genetically-modified canola crop has been delivered into a silo in NSW, Monsanto Australia announced.
Parkes farmer Graham Barron, who delivered his Roundup Ready canola crop to a silo at Grenfell this week, said in a statement issued by Monsanto that he was impressed by the results and with the supply chain processes.
"There was no problem delivering the grain into the silo site and everyone knew what to do with the GM canola,'' Mr Barron said."It's a very secure system right through the supply chain.
''While still too early for full and final results, the crop had held up well "and I'm pleased with the yield despite the abnormally dry conditions'', Mr Barron said.
He said the Roundup Ready canola had performed better than the conventional canola he'd grown, and he planned to plant more next year.
"This will become the norm for us rather than the exception,'' Mr Barron said. "Roundup Ready canola offers growers a choice of systems to use on the farm.
"The technology is long overdue in Australia and it represents another tool for growers to use in their tool-kit.''
"Planting Roundup Ready canola makes good economic and sustainable sense…..It's cleaner, greener technology.''Mr Barron's is the first GM canola harvested and delivered since the moratoriums were lifted in NSW and Victoria early this year.
Anti-GM group GeneEthics Network said Monsanto's version of GM canola "manipulates the truth to promote a flawed and stalled and failed technology".
"They announce success but the harvest is not yet in," executive director Bob Phelps said.
He said US experience showed that GM contamination was inevitable.
"Monsanto's own documents say pollen can go 2.5 km, and much of the GM canola grown here will be cut for hay that will contain GM seed."
The unresolved problem of Roundup Ready-resistant weeds meant GM canola could not be planted again on the same site for four years, Mr Phelps said.
"State governments should re-impose their bans on GM canola."
