Growing GM crops in South Australia
The GM food crops currently approved for commercial cultivation in Australia are varieties of cotton, canola, Indian mustard and safflower.
The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) is responsible for licensing commercial varieties of GM crops in Australia.
Fact sheets on GM cultivation and commercially available crop varieties are available on the OGTR website.
If you are considering growing GM crops in South Australia, you should consider:
- crop management practices
- machinery hygiene
- resistance management plans.
Preparing to grow GM food crops
Growers looking to include GM varieties as part of their rotation should seek advice from an agronomist and their preferred seed supplier. They may be required to:
- enter into stewardship and licensing agreements prior to receiving GM seed
- be required to complete accreditation courses.
It is important that growers discuss stewardship requirements with their technology providers.
More information on stewardship requirements for herbicide tolerant canola is available from Bayer Australia.
For information about GM and non-GM neighbours, see Coexistence of GM and non-GM crop production systems.
Resources for growing GM crops
Further industry information on growing GM crops is available below.
- Bayer Crop Science Australia website has information on getting started and crop and resistance management plans
- Australian oilseeds website has a range of resources and workshops for canola growers.
- Australian Seed Federation for Best Practice Guidelines for the Management of GM Traits in Canola Seeds
- Grain Trade Australia for Delivering Market Choice with GM Crops
- Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia Resource Guide – The Official Australian Reference Guide to Agricultural Biotechnology and GM Crops
Coexistence with non-GM neighbours
In other jurisdictions where GM crops have been permitted for 10 years, the industry has established protocols to manage co-existence of GM and non-GM crops.
The principles and processes have been implemented by the Australian Oilseeds Federation, which maintains and oversees the delivery of market requirements for domestic and export trade.
Viterra, South Australia’s largest grain handler currently receiving canola has existing testing regimes in place for detection of GM canola which were put in place to ensure compliance with the moratorium.
To support coexistence of GM and non-GM growers, growers need to consider their risk management strategies to minimise any potential negative impacts to other growers.
Certified organic, biodynamic, non-GM and GM production systems all have specific requirements.
To assist in managing various systems that may be within close proximity, all growers, regardless of their production systems, should consider discussing individual production system requirements with their neighbours.
Resources for remaining non-GM
Some farmers will choose not to adopt GM crop technology.
Industry segregation protocols to facilitate the successful coexistence of both GM and non-GM production systems in the market are well established.
To assist in managing various systems that may be within close proximity, all growers, regardless of their production systems, should consider discussing individual production system requirements with their neighbours.
The Australian Seed Federation (ASF), has a number of documents and protocols to assist industry participants to make informed decisions in relation to the handling and marketing of seed.
Certified Organic and Biodynamic Producers
Organic standards used in Australia are generally owned and managed by private organisations. Many organic businesses choose to be certified by an organic certification body to underpin truth in labelling requirements and promote consumer confidence.
Domestically marketed organic products are commonly certified by one of Australia’s six private certifiers who base their certification standards on the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
In Australia there are a number of Organic and Biodynamic certifications in states where there is no moratorium on GM crops.
Certified Organic or Biodynamic producers are required to adhere to strict Organic Management Plans that establish clear protocols about how an organic or biodynamic producer will meet and maintain the thresholds and criteria of organic or biodynamic certification.
If you are a certified Organic or Biodynamic producer in South Australia, you should refer to your certification organisation’s Standards to ensure your practices are compliant.