GRAIN Producers Australia chairman and Rupanyup farmer Andrew Weidemann believes Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale’s stance on genetically-modified crops is a huge shift towards logical policy.
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Mr Di Natale said last week he had no personal objections to the science behind genetically-modified crops. The party is considering policy changes.
The Greens have had a long-standing policy position opposing GM crop production.
Mr Weidemann said Mr Di Natale’s comments showed he had more understanding of the issue than any previous party leader.
“We finally have a Greens leader who understands the science of GM and also the opportunities this technology presents for grain farmers and Australian agriculture,” he said.
“It’s important to acknowledge the science is the science and the need for all farmers to have choice – including to use GMs commercially – is something the grains industry has been putting on the table since the late 1990s.”
Mr Di Natale said he backed genetic modification because it was something used for a long time in medicine.
Mr Weidemann said the comments demonstrated how GM technology was used extensively to generate human health benefits, underpinned by scientific advancement.
“I would encourage the Greens to look at all angles of this debate and understand that any potential change of policy would be an important step in building closer ties with Australian agriculture and farmers,” he said.
“The Greens GM policy has been a point of angst among farmers since we first started talking about introducing this technology into Australia about 20 years ago.
“Acknowledging the science is a ginormous step forward in terms of having a pragmatic discussion.”
Mr Weidemann said the Greens’ science and innovation strategy would continue to be hindered by a conflicting policy stance in opposing GMs, despite proven efficacy, while backing climate change science.
However he said Senator Di Natale’s support for plant biotechnology science offered a potential pathway towards overcoming the issue.
“A change of policy on GMs that supports credible science would definitely give the Greens’ science and innovation agenda far more credibility,” he said.
“The Greens have not been taken seriously in Australian agriculture for a long time due to their rejection of GMs, which clearly contradicts their support for climate change science.”
