www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

GM fears a myth Australia?s traditional export markets for canola accept
genetically modified (GM) canola just as readily as conventional canola ?
and pay a similar price for both, March 2007.

Welcoming the release today of the ABARE report Market acceptance of GM
canola, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran,
said the report found that GM canola was being accepted in markets
throughout the world and non-GM canola did not appear to be attracting a
price premium.

?Fears about GM canola have proved unfounded and consumers around the world
now accept it to be a safe food ingredient. As a result of this, Australian
growers of non-GM canola are not receiving any overall premium,? Mr McGauran
said.

?The analysis conducted by ABARE concludes there is nothing to support the
concerns that unintended presence of GM canola in other grain exports,
particularly wheat and barley, would adversely impact on trade.

?As well as debunking the myths of price premiums and the disruption to
wheat and barley trade, ABARE has shown there is no basis to the fears
expressed that products derived from animals fed GM feed would suffer in the
marketplace.

?The report also confirms that Australia, like many other countries
including those within the European Union, is already a large consumer of GM
products.?

Australian-produced GM cottonseed is used as oil for human consumption and
as protein meal for animal feed.

The use of GM feed rations from cotton, along with imported GM soybean meal,
has had no negative impacts for Australia?s livestock industries.

?Worldwide acceptance of GM is clear. GM crops are now grown by more than 10
million growers in 22 countries,? Mr McGauran concluded.

Market acceptance of GM canola can be found on the ABARE website:
www.abareconomics.com

For the full article:
[www.maff.gov.au]