Together with a team of PhD students and international collaborators, Dr Tan has started a program to develop Australian crops that can resist heat by using natural variations in crop genetic collections from around the world. “We work with countries where these crops originated, for example America for cotton, and institutions where varieties of genetic crop seeds are held,” said Dr Tan. The material is tested for heat tolerance in a range of locations. Wheat varieties are tested in Australia, Mexico and, because of the potential consumer market there, China.

SOUTH Australia has stared down the Federal Government over its ban on genetically modified crops. The Federal Government had asked states with GM moratoria which had not reviewed their positions within the past three years to do so by the end of 2014. State Agriculture Minister Gail Gago has defiantly turned down the request.

“I have written to the Federal Government and told them that we will not be doing this,” Ms Gago said. “South Australia’s glean green food bowl gives us a competitive edge in the market. “Our non-GM crops attract greater market prices and the exceptional quality of SA’s food bowl is synonymous with the state.

GREENPEACE has vowed to continue campaigning against genetically modified crops in Australia, despite backlash from the farming and scientific community for vandalising CSIRO research trials. The pledge comes as two Greenpeace anti-GM activists - Jessica Latona and Heather McCabe - were handed suspended sentences of nine months this week, for using whipper snippers to destroy GM wheat trials at CSIRO in Canberra in July last year. Justice Hilary Penfold recorded convictions against the two women. In a statement released after their sentencing, Ms Latona and Ms McCabe said, “We did it because we’re deeply concerned about the future of our food… GM is not proven safe to eat. The only thing we are sure about is that it’s a major threat to our environment.”

Two Greenpeace activists have received nine-month suspended sentences for destroying a genetically modified wheat crop with whipper snippers at the CSIRO in Canberra. Jessa Latona, 36, and Heather McCabe, 49, destroyed the crop in July last year. Greenpeace then sought publicity for their actions by contacting the ABC and releasing vision of the protest. The CSIRO had permission to conduct the GM wheat trials. [...] Greenpeace has since paid more than $280,000 in compensation to the CSIRO. Justice Hillary Penfold told the ACT Supreme Court this morning that she appreciated the actions were motivated by deeply held beliefs and altruistic intentions, but the law had been deliberately broken.

Scientists at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, while attempting to make a wheat with an enhanced starch profile, came up with a line of genetically modified wheat that yields 30 percent more than check varieties in greenhouse trials.
 ”With this technology we see more vigorous wheat with increased vegetative growth, larger seed heads and larger seed,” Bruce Lee, director of CSIRO's Food Futures Flagship, said in a news release.
 ”If we can achieve significant yield increases in the field, this will have a major impact on food production on a global scale.”


The Conservation Council of Western Australia says it is deeply concerned about a significant increase in fugitive genetically modified canola crops growing around Williams. The results of a new study released by the council found 62 per cent of the canola plants found along a ten kilometre roadside stretch north of Williams were genetically modified. The council's Nic Dunlop says that is alarming because Williams is renowned as an area free of GM canola.

The NSW Farmers Association Young Farmers Chair welcomed the official launch of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA) at Parliament House in Canberra recently. The launch was timed to coincide with the Science Meets Parliament event in Canberra. More than 200 scientists held a range of meetings with Federal MPs and Senators urging all sides of politics to pay as much attention to science, as they do to economics and short-term political considerations, while maintaining funding support. The ABCA is a joint initiative of AusBiotech, CropLife Australia, the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the National Farmers' Federation.

FARMERS selling genetically modified canola are facing discounts of $14-$30 a tonne for their grain. The price disparity between GM and conventional canola is up to $30 a tonne at some sites. Cargill is quoting $14-15 a tonne difference, while GrainCorp is quoting $30 a tonne difference at Lillimur in the West Wimmera for 2012-13 grain. GrainCorp’s daily prices show the top price for conventional canola is $576 a tonne delivered to Geelong, while the top price for GM canola is $535 a tonne delivered to St James, north of Benalla.

THE Australian Greens say they won't give the green light to Genetically Modified crops – or any other version of GM's – despite widespread support for biotechnology amongst Australian farming groups and the scientific community. Leading farm groups and plant scientists back GM technology development, with its potential to generate varieties with drought and even frost tolerance, or grow in soils where virtually nothing exists. Citing feedback from her ”listening tour” of regional Australia, launched when she replaced Bob Brown in April, Australian Greens leader Senator Christine Milne said she was ”reinforced in the view” about not allowing GM's in food chains.

A new industry group, the Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA) has been formed to promote and encourage debate on the use of biotechnology and gene technology in agriculture in Australia. The bodies collaborating to form the council are AusBiotech, CropLife Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation and the National Farmers' Federation. The council will be chaired by Claude Gauchat, who is Managing Director of direct2, a company that advises on reputation management.