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GM crops 'reduce toxic pesticide use'
Posted by: Prof. Dr. M. Raupp (IP Logged)
Date: January 10, 2009 12:06PM
The NSW government says the move to genetically modified (GM) crops has
greatly reduced the need for toxic pesticides such as endosulfan, which the
Greens want banned.
"Endosulfan is a highly toxic pesticide," NSW Greens MP John Kaye said on
Thursday, calling on Australia to follow the lead of more than 50 other
countries who have outlawed it.
"Consumption is known to interfere with the central nervous system. It has
also been linked to New Zealand's high incidence of breast cancer.
"It is long-lasting and accumulates in the food system."
New Zealand banned endosulfan in December, leaving Australia as one of the
last countries in the developed world to condone its use.
A spokeswoman for Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said he would seek
a briefing from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
(APVMA) on how Australia's use of the pesticide differed from New Zealand's.
But Mr Kaye said NSW should act alone, and not wait for the commonwealth's
response.
"NSW Food Minister Ian Macdonald should step in and demand that consumers in
this state receive the same standard of protection as New Zealand and 50
other countries," he said.
Mr Macdonald said use of the pesticide in Australia was a federal matter and
the APVMA was responsible for their assessment and registration.
"APVMA is the national registration system and to suggest that NSW go it
alone and make unilateral decisions regarding chemical use is simplistic,
and will jeopardise Australia's national approach to assessing and
regulating chemicals," he said.
He added that the move to GM crops in recent years had already reduced NSW
farmer's reliance on pesticides such as endosulfan.
"Transgenic, insect resistant cotton (or GM cotton) has demonstrated an
economic benefit to growers by generally requiring less insecticide to
achieve a successful crop outcome, reducing expenditure on insecticidal
chemicals," he said.
"Using GM cotton in an integrated pest management approach has reportedly
resulted in a reduction in endosulfan use of around 90 per cent in
Australian cotton production."
www.checkbiotech.org
greatly reduced the need for toxic pesticides such as endosulfan, which the
Greens want banned.
"Endosulfan is a highly toxic pesticide," NSW Greens MP John Kaye said on
Thursday, calling on Australia to follow the lead of more than 50 other
countries who have outlawed it.
"Consumption is known to interfere with the central nervous system. It has
also been linked to New Zealand's high incidence of breast cancer.
"It is long-lasting and accumulates in the food system."
New Zealand banned endosulfan in December, leaving Australia as one of the
last countries in the developed world to condone its use.
A spokeswoman for Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said he would seek
a briefing from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
(APVMA) on how Australia's use of the pesticide differed from New Zealand's.
But Mr Kaye said NSW should act alone, and not wait for the commonwealth's
response.
"NSW Food Minister Ian Macdonald should step in and demand that consumers in
this state receive the same standard of protection as New Zealand and 50
other countries," he said.
Mr Macdonald said use of the pesticide in Australia was a federal matter and
the APVMA was responsible for their assessment and registration.
"APVMA is the national registration system and to suggest that NSW go it
alone and make unilateral decisions regarding chemical use is simplistic,
and will jeopardise Australia's national approach to assessing and
regulating chemicals," he said.
He added that the move to GM crops in recent years had already reduced NSW
farmer's reliance on pesticides such as endosulfan.
"Transgenic, insect resistant cotton (or GM cotton) has demonstrated an
economic benefit to growers by generally requiring less insecticide to
achieve a successful crop outcome, reducing expenditure on insecticidal
chemicals," he said.
"Using GM cotton in an integrated pest management approach has reportedly
resulted in a reduction in endosulfan use of around 90 per cent in
Australian cotton production."
www.checkbiotech.org
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