The South Australian moratorium ends in 2019 and already debate is underway about what happens in five years’ time. It's a subject that the growers of the livestock fodder crop Lucerne are watching closely. This report from Leah MacLennan looks at the work of Lucerne Australia and has comments from some Australian farmers as well as some insights from two American farmers (lucerne is called alfalfa in USA).
Most pertinent comment comes from former South Australian Premier, and now head of the peak body Primary Producers SA, Rob Kerin, “It's a very complex topic. Today is very much about education and trying to understand the intricacies of you know, what GM lucerne would actually mean.’
Rob Kerin was State Opposition leader in 2004, when the government suspended the use of genetically modified crops and now he hopes the moratorium will be lifted. He comments “The debate got away from us around the 2002, 2003 mark. The science was put aside. There was a lot of rhetoric, a lot of argument. I just wish we could get back to the science, understand the technology, understand the argument of a premium for non GM versus productivity increases using it. I think the you know, I wish we could get away from the politics of it and just look at what is best for South Australia.”
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