The Safe Food Foundation and Organics Tasmania co-hosted two industry forums on the benefits or otherwise of Tasmania extending its GMO moratorium.
The forums were intended to enable farmers and the food industry to have a frank conversation about the issue. The forums were held on Thursday 3 October – with a lunchtime forum near Launceston and an evening forum in Hobart. They were well attended and speakers included Mr Bob Mackley, a Victorian broadacre farmer, Mr Lindsay Burke of the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association and Mr Terry Moore, General Manager, GMO-ID Australia.
Terry addressed the forums and provided a world view from a non-GMO certifiers perspective. Terry was also interviewed by ABC TV and radio and details of the ABC Country hour report can be found here
THE DEPARTMENT of PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, PARKS, WATER and ENVIRONMENT are conducting a review and calling for public submissions;
Review of the Moratorium on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Tasmania (2013)
Since 2001 Tasmania has had a moratorium on the use of GMOs in primary industries for marketing purposes. The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment invites public submissions as part of a review of the moratorium. All submissions must be in writing and should address the following Terms of Reference.
1. Domestic and international gene technology policy relevant to primary industries.
2. Research and development relevant to the use of gene technology in primary industries.
3. The potential market advantages and disadvantages of allowing or not allowing the use of gene technology in Tasmanian primary industries, including food and non-food sectors.
4. Any other relevant matters raised during the review.
Further information and an Issues Paper is available from the Department’s website http://www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au. A hard copy of the Issues Paper can be
requested by phoning: 6233 4031 or by email: gmo.review@dpipwe.tas.gov.au
or online via the submission form on the Department’s website at http://www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au