In November last year, the government of Victoria ended a four-year moratorium on genetically modified canola crops, allowing farmers to grow the crop if they want. GM canola is engineered to be resistant to the weed killer RoundUp and thus less herbicide is needed when growing the crop.

The ban has now been lifted also in New South Wales, but remains in force in South Australia and WA. Queensland did not institute the ban and has been able to grow GM canola since the national Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) approved it for Australian farmers in 2003.

The Victorian decision followed the completion of a review on the impact of GM canola chaired by Victoria's chief scientist, Sir Gustav Nossal, and released in November 2007. The final report advised that GM canola is safe for human health and the environment, and offers considerable benefits.

Victorian State Premier John Brumby said that ending the ban would generate $115 million over the next eight years for growers in his state alone. Agriculture Minister Joe Helper added that the move would now give farmers a choice.

Both governments said lifting the ban would advantage farmers in the competitive global canola market, much of which trades in GM product. Interestingly, WA politicians use the same argument for maintaining the ban - apparently, the Japanese are busy cancelling orders with NSW and Victoria and signing a deal with WA growers. Similarly, SA Premier Mike Rann extended the GM canola moratorium because of concerns about potential damage to their agricultural sector presented by GM food crops.

"Farmers want to maintain their clean green image, which we (the government) recognise as critical to the marketing of SA's food and wine products," Rann said. He also refers to the fact that some of this season's markets showed significant premiums for GM-free canola.

Canola growers themselves appreciate the economic benefits potentially offered by GM crops, but according to a recent Rural Press Marketing Survey, the majority wanted to stay on the cautious side and maintain the ban for now.

The Nossal report essentially analysed the stated safety, economic and ecological benefits of GM canola. It also allayed some of the fears about growing the GM crop, including the need for effective separation of GM and non-GM canola. Lack of such a buffer zone would negate choice once again for the grower as every farm in a region would have to be deemed GM if separation was not achieved.

However, many still oppose ending the moratorium on GM canola, including scientists, growers, nutritionists and interested consumers. Some are calling for a complete ban on GM food crops in Australia, proposing alternative farming practices instead, while others just want to allow further research and long-term validation of safety issues.

As one very experienced scientific expert remarked, it is harder and more expensive to fix problems in this area after they happen. This ongoing 'war' between pro- and anti-GM proponents is exemplified by the seemingly paradoxical pro-GM position of the National Farmers' Federation (which they refer to as pro-choice), while more than half the farmers growing the crop want to be completely sure before going ahead and were happy with the ban.