A BALINGUP seed saver has expressed concerns that GM-free shires have no legal recourse to maintain their GM-free status.
Local councils could declare their shires GM-free, “but cannot prevent any farmer from growing any crop which they are legally permitted to grow”, Agriculture Minister Terry Redman said last week.
Balingup Seedsaver Gavin Edwards, who has developed what he claims is WA’s largest seed bank, is concerned that if a GM crop went ahead in Bridgetown despite the shire’s GM-free declaration, his seeds would be at risk of out-crossing. “You normally get out-crossing anyway, but the type that happens in nature does not involve transgenic organisms,” he said. “In nature there is a very small percentage that can cross with another species.”
GM canola, which can now legally be grown in WA, comes from the Brassica genus and species Napus.
Other plants in the Brassica genus include kale, collard, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, kohl rabi, and broccoli. All of those have the same species, Oleracea, which means that they can cross.
“Very occasionally they’ll cross with a member of a different species in the same genus,” Mr Edwards said. The issue with canola was that its genus and species are the same as a vegetable known as rutabaga or swedes — and with which it can cross. “There is a likelihood that it will cross with swedes, and a possibility of it crossing with the other species,” he said.
Mr Edwards is planning to start a seed company, because there are no companies in WA for open-pollinated seeds. “Before that I spent a good percentage of my life saving seeds, and I’ve got the largest seed bank in WA right here,” he said.
According to Mr Edwards, there are three types of seeds: open-pollinated, hybrid and GM.
“Open-pollinated varieties are varieties you grown on the farm that can be reliably saved from year to year for the characteristics that you want. Hybrids occur naturally in nature and also in commercial seed companies.
“A lot of the open-pollinated seeds are hybrids, but the modern hybrids are often grown for the benefit of the farmer, the wholesaler or the retailer, whereas open pollinated or heirloom type seeds are grown for hundreds of years, with characteristics such as ripening over a period of time and tasting better.”
While Mr Edwards has not yet certified as an organic producer, he intends to. However, if a GM crop went ahead anywhere in the local area, he would have difficulty selling his seeds as organic because of the risk of out crossing. “I’ve been setting up this business for years, so I’d have to take legal action if something like that happened, and so would a lot of other organic growers. I wouldn’t rule out a class action,” he said. “I really think we haven’t used the precautionary principle in doing this. Who knows what could happen?”
Nannup organic grower Bee Winfield said: “I was told categorically that while shires can declare themselves GM- free, there is no step they can take to make it legally binding. This is a shock, because last year Mr Redman promised to honour the wishes of communities which want to remain GM-free.
“Now the minister has dropped his pretence of respecting democracy. It seems the heavy hand of a dictator has come down.”
The news has raised concern amongst seed savers of brassica plants such a broccoli and Chinese cabbage, that they could become cross-pollinated with GM genes as early as this season, should any farmer grow GM canola within a ten km radius of their seed plants.
“The minister’s GM adviser said there is very little chance of my heirloom turnip seed, which I’ve saved for 25 years, becoming cross-pollinated with GM canola,” Ms Winfield said. “But scientific studies show otherwise. I am still awaiting the minister’s response to this.”
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