GM crop plans for Glenthorne Farm

Sarah Garvis

19May08

A CROP of genetically modified wheat and barley could be growing at Glenthorne Farm as soon as June amid concerns in the local community. 

Adelaide University, which leases the land from the State Government, has applied to the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) to conduct field trials of up to 30 lines of GM wheat and barley.

Adelaide University Waite Campus director Geoff Fincher said the trials would help with research into drought tolerance and human nutrition.

``We're only doing very small scale, non-commercial trials,'' he said. ``What we are doing is working on drought tolerance and quality for human nutrition, which could help prevent diseases such as diabetes and colorectal cancer.''

Friends of Glenthorne Farm secretary Alan Burns said he was concerned with the lack of public consultation, which ended last Friday (May 16). ``I know nothing of the implications of GM, only that there are questions over its suitability,'' he said.

``Generally the public is wary of this type of technology when they are not informed.''

Mr Burns said more information and time was needed for ``open debate''. ``The fact that there is very little time left for this consultation is a concern.''

The field trials will be conducted by the Adelaide-based Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG).

Prof Fincher, who is also the deputy chief executive of ACPFG, said similar trials were conducted in Strathalbyn about five years ago.

``There's pretty stringent controls from the OGTR and there's a long list of these trials going on across the country,'' he said.

``This kind of research has been going on for the last 15 years and is likely to go on for the next 15 years.''

Agriculture Minister Rory McEwen's spokesperson Richard Lower said the State Government would consider the project once it had passed through the OGTR.

Marion Council spokeswoman Anna Minges said the council had written to the OGTR for further clarification about the project.