Western Australia records country’s first GM contamination
Western Australia now earns the distinction as the country's first site of genetically modified (GM) canola contamination, with a farm in the state's Great Southern region receiving confirmation from WA authorities that its organic produces could be laced with contaminants.
Kojonup farm owner Steve Marsh confirmed to AAP on Monday that his yields may have been compromised with GM canola and a notice was sent to him by the WA government.
As result, the WA government was forced to revoke Marsh's organic certification, which according to the farmer would render more than half of his farm virtually useless with much of its cereal harvests poised to be wasted.
The contamination would lead to huge damages, according to Marsh, who added that he is mulling some legal actions to recoup his losses though that would have to wait until an inquiry being conducted by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA) reaches its conclusion.
Evidently, Marsh stressed that his harvests had lost their premiums and recovering that could only be realised through his planned court action as he pointed out that "I am prepared to defend my livelihood and my choice, and the choice of many other non-GM farmers to produce a non-GM product."
WA Agriculture Minister Terry Redman has advised Marsh to bring his case before NASAA, suggesting that the association's zero tolerance for GM contaminants could be adjusted in light of the European Union's recent decision to implement 0.9 percent threshold for non-deliberate GM contamination of organic crops.
Redman informed the troubled farmer that NASAA's current standard appears to be out of sync with biological system while GM giant producer Monsanto lauded EU's new standard while expressing support at the same time to nearby canola farmers suspected of contaminating Marsh's organic farm.
However, Gene Ethics director Bob Phelps urged the state government to introduce too legislations that would protect organic farmers aside from its present preoccupation of tweaking the standards of Australia's organic harvests just because Europe is doing the same.
Considering the present circumstances, Phelps reminded Redman that GM contamination may prove unavoidable but losses incurred by organic farmers could be effectively offset when new laws are passed "to provide automatic compensation for anyone GM contaminated."