The NSW Government has announced access will continue for approved genetically modified crop innovations, as it will not seek to continue an 18-year moratorium that is due to expire on 1 July 2021.
The decision will align NSW with all other major States, ensuring that innovators and farmers are not disadvantaged in the future.
The moratorium expiring will encourage stronger research and innovation and ensure easier access to current and future GM crops approved for commercialisation. Access will be maintained to all GM crops that have been approved through the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator's robust assessments.
With the global population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, agricultural technologists and food science researchers must develop tools to reach growing population's needs. An increasing number of Australian farms are R&D driven, technologically advanced, capital intensive, and entrepreneurial. The agritech industry strives to enhance seeds and crops, improve diet and provide functional foods for preventative health.
The fourth edition of the Official Australian Reference Guide to Agricultural Biotechnology and GM Crops was published in October by the Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA). It considers developments in agritech with a focus on the role of gene-editing, and includes regulation requirements across the country, and how consumer attitudes have evolved, in Australia and globally. AusBiotech is a founding member of ABCA. Download the Guide here.
