login
Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
Green Groups Attack Australian States Move to Lift Ban on Genetically Modified Cotton
The government lifted a moratorium on genetically modified cotton crops in the Ord River region yesterday.
Agriculture Minister Terry Redman said more than a decade of trials in the Ord region showed that commercial GM cotton was viable, both economically and environmentally.
But he acknowledged broadacre plantings of the crop were not likely until more irrigation land was opened up in the region, given the bulk of existing land was being used for other crops.
Im not expecting that tomorrow there will be a whole heap of GM cotton grown, he said. Clearly, the farming community and the business community will now have a choice.
The former Labor government imposed a blanket ban on all GM crop production in 2003. Mr Redman said he would sign an exemption order under the legislation to allow commercial GM cotton in the region.
GM traits, which includes resistance to insects by making the plant toxic to heliothis moths, meant the crop would operate under dramatically different techniques than those used in the regions previous disastrous experience with non-GM cotton. During its final year in the mid-70s, growers were spraying pesticides up to 40 times each season, including with the now banned DDT.
In comparison, our GM cotton trials have only required two spray applications with insecticides that are far more environmentally friendly, Mr Redman said.
He said 90 per cent of cotton grown in Australia was genetically modified, with the Ord trials often producing 10 per cent better yields than other parts of the country.
``These trials have shown that there are no agronomic problems, including the control of insects, in growing GM cotton in the Ord.
|
|
|
More News on: Genetically Modified Food
 Comment & Contribute
|
Medwonders Health Network
- Health News Index
- News Quick Links
| News Categories: |
| » | Report: A Lot of Americans Have No Access to Health Care |
| » | Greece Faces Humanitarian Crisis as Health Care Access Declines in EU, Doctors Group Warns |
| » | HCCI Report Says Rising Prices for Care Responsible for Increased Healthcare Costs for Privately Insured Americans |
| » | Treatment in ED is Based on Children's Insurance Status |
| » | US Spends Most on Healthcare Without Providing Superior Care |
| More Insurance News | |
|
