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1.No segregation intended for conventional non-GM farmers in Victoria
2.GM canola will cause economic loss to canola farmers of over $143 million

NOTE: Victoria's Premier, John Brumby ordered an 'independent review' led by Sir Gustav Nossal who was a known opponent of the GM moratorium.

EXTRACTS: '[the State of Victoria's 'independent review'] was nothing more than a public relations exercise. The majority of the quotes referenced were from organisations with direct vested interests while any genuine concerns were countered by vague assumptions.'

'The report included benefits that are not there while ignoring additional costs and market risks.' (item 1)

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1.No segregation intended for conventional non-GM farmers in Victoria
Press Release: Network of Concerned Farmers, 28 November 2007
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2853

The Network of Concerned Farmers has slammed the Victorian 'independent review' on GM canola claiming the concerns of non-GM farmers were ignored and conventional farmers are expected to market on the consumer rejected GM market. It was assumed that there was insufficient premium to pay for the additional costs for conventional farmers to market as GM-free. The report claimed that consumers will be offered a choice to avoid GM canola oil by purchasing organic canola oil, not conventional canola oil but very little organic canola oil is produced in Australia.

'The report included benefits that are not there while ignoring additional costs and market risks.' said Julie Newman, NCF national spokesperson. 'Non-GM farmers are to market as GM and the obvious proof of price penalties associated with marketing as GM was disgregarded claiming that these obvious price penalties could have been due to other factors. Unfortunately and unacceptably, it is expected that non-GM farmers are to pay if our concerns are proven right by getting a lower price for our product.'

'Even the National Party is claiming a 'lower price' benefit to consumers which directly contravenes the patronising promise that there is no price difference if non-GM farmers marketed as GM.'

The committee report promoted a yield advantage of between 10-30% which the NCF disputes claiming trials have shown the GM companies own trials have revealed similar or less yields to non-GM varieties. Neither Monsanto or Bayer Cropscience have agreed to participate in independent performance trials despite having government approval to allow exemptions to do so.

'Not only did the committee promote a yield advantage that is not there, they promoted advantages such as earlier sowing, reduced tillage and lower fuel use that would be no different using the non-GM herbicide tolerant canola varieties that we currently grow. They also failed to incorporate the additional costs to farmers for using GM crops,' said Mrs Newman.

The reason for not incorporating the costs of the technology was given that, although farmers would pay a higher cost, 75% of this payment would remain in Victoria and therefore is not considered a direct cost to the State of Victoria.

'It was nothing more than a public relations exercise. The majority of the quotes referenced were from organisations with direct vested interests while any genuine concerns were countered by vague assumptions.'

Contact: Julie Newman 08 98711562 or 08 98711644

Link to committee report:
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenfa.nsf/93a98744f6ec41bd4a256c8e00013aa9/4ec44b24702e1683ca2573a100085643/$FILE/Panel%20Report%20to%20the%20Minister%20for%20Agrictulture,%20October%202007.pdf

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2.GM canola will cause economic loss to canola farmers of over $143 million
Network of Concerned Farmers, 27 November 2007 http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/index.asp

The Network of Concerned Farmers (NCF), an alliance of Australian farmers, have released a report today on the economic costs of genetically modified (GM) canola, revealing that the introduction of GM canola will cause a loss to Australian canola farmers of over $143 million a year with non-GM farmers carrying an unjust burden of over $65 million a year. NSW Minister for Agriculture announced the lift of the moratorium for GM canola in NSW before it has had official government approval. Premier Brumby of the Victorian Government announced his decision on lifting the GM moratorium at 2pm today. The NCF is calling on the new Federal Minister for Agriculture, and all State politicians to intervene immediately to prevent any decision to lift any State moratoria on GM food crops due to evidence of unreasonable costs on existing farmers.

NCF National Spokesperson Julie Newman said, 'economic reports to date on GM crops have included benefits that are not relevent to farmers, excluded additional costs to farmers and ignored the reality that markets are rejecting GM crops. When these factors are integrated, there is a very different picture. The key problem is that non-GM farmers will be burdened with a heavy loss of over $65 million a year for the introduction of a crop we do not want and do not need. Furthermore, non-GM farmers will have little or no legal recourse against the GM industry for this economic loss caused.'

The NCF report highlights that since GM adoption, Canada experienced an inability to segregate and suffered price penalties and market rejection associated with marketing as GM. Using similar assumptions both, Australian non-GM and GM canola farmers would conservatively face at least $81.9million less for their canola every year. If 20% of Australian farmers adopted GM canola, the additional costs for GM growers would total $10.83 million without including further additional costs such as volunteer control, resistance management compliance and crop management compliance. While Bayer Cropscience's own yield data shows similar yields to non-GM canola, Roundup Ready canola trials showed an average of 13% less yield than non-GM varieties and therefore, farmers would likely experience a shortfall of a further $50.2 million. A conservative estimate of losses amounts to $143million.

'We insist governments stand by their 2003 committment to ensure unreasonable costs are not imposed on existing producers,' said Julie Newman. 'Its not good enough for farmers to be told there is no risk when we are expected to pay if our concerns are proven right. There is clear evidence of the risk to non-GM farmers and we should not be expected to bear unjust costs.'

'Non-GM farmers should not be forced to subsidise the GM industry,' said Mrs Newman.

Mrs Newman, a past vice president of WAFarmers Federation Grains Council, claim farm organisations such as the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) are misrepresenting the majority of farmers with legitimate concerns. She finds it even more disturbing to find that VFF has indirect investments in GM canola via Graincorp and their Nufarm alliance.

If GM canola is introduced, non-GM farmers will be expected to carry the costs and liabilities in keeping GM canola from the non-GM supply. The recent Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) portrayed industry acceptance of coexistence plans but Mrs Newman claimed non-GM farmers were undemocratically represented by ex Monsanto manager Mr David Hudson and that the genuine concerns of non-GM farmers were ignored.

'There is no intention to provide workable coexistence plans and all farmers will be expected to market as GM, a product markets do not want.' said Mrs Newman. 'The aim of the industries with a vested interest, is to try to convince farmers that GM is in our interests when it is not, and to portray that 'industry' has self regulated and agreed to unworkable coexistence plans when this is completely false,' she added.

'If introduced, Australia will be the first country to introduce large scale commercial release of a patented GM food crop without subsidising farmers to compensate for higher costs and associated market loss.' said Mrs Newman. 'This is about industries making money from farmers, not for farmers.'

Links to report: The Economics of Genetically Modified Canola

GM canola report - print version 85.9kb
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/documents/GM%20Canola%20report-small.txt

GM canola report - full version 2.39MB
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/documents/GM%20Canola%20report-full.pdf

Contact Julie Newman Phone 08 98711562 or 08 98711644 or 0427 711644