The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in NSW will support the state agricultural sector's target of $30 billion in output by 2030.
An 18 year moratorium on GM crops in NSW will end in July this year, opening the door to new opportunities for farmers.
But, we must move ahead with caution as this decision has not been welcomed by all aspects of the farming community.
Ultimately, the adoption of GM on individual farms must be about choice.
Some markets have reservations about GM technology and one thing farmers have learnt is that the consumer is always right.
Farmers who wish to cultivate GM crops should have the opportunity to make informed choices about what to sow, based on their individual businesses and specific conditions.
NSW Farmers has confidence in the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator as the independent science-based body for assessing the risks and benefits of different GM crops.
Truth in labelling will also be important for fostering trust and acceptance and to provide consumers the opportunity to make informed choices.
Gene technology has several potential upsides for farm productivity, consumer convenience, and the environment.
It can be used to build more drought resilient crops and sustainable weed and pest control. For consumers, the potential to incorporate low allergen traits into some food products could, for example, assist people with gluten sensitivities.
The use of GM in cotton has demonstrated the positive environmental impacts the technology can have.
Since 1992, the Australian cotton industry was able to reduce its water usage by 48 percent, reduced its land use by 34 percent, and reduced its pesticide usage by 97 percent largely thanks to the adoption of GM.
NSW Farmers supports the move to allow the GM moratorium to lapse at a time when we need agriculture to be as productive as possible.
NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall has forecast $4.8 billion in total gross benefits to arise from GM crops over the next 10 years, which bodes well for the $30 billion by 2030 target.
- James Jackson, NSW Farmers president
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