Ministers must protect farmers against GE contamination - 25 October 2005

“There is an emerging GE contamination crisis happening all over Australia,” Mr Cohen said.

“Crops are being destroyed, farmers are losing thousands of dollars and with canola currently flowering all over Australia, the contamination could get out of control.

“The Primary Industries Ministerial Council meeting tomorrow must take tough action to protect our farmers. The meeting should agree to begin immediate testing of canola around Australia to find out how far the contamination has spread.

“The ministers should also agree to bring in a strict liability scheme so that those companies producing the GE product compensate farmers for loss caused by any contamination of their GE free crop.

“NSW has been dragging its feet. I have been pursuing the NSW Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald on the issue in parliament over recent weeks. In response to my questioning last week in parliament, the Minister said that the Ministerial Council would address the contamination issue.

“I hope he takes a new brief to the ministerial summit. If the Minister were to take strong action he would gain the support of a huge number of farmers.

“Many of our farm exports rely on the clean and green tag. GE contamination poses a massive risk to the market advantage Australian producers have over many of our competitors,” Mr Cohen said.