Other Issues

30 September 2004

GM cotton for the Northern Territory?

Monsanto applies for “large scale trials” in NT

The Environment Centre of the Northern Territory (ECNT) says it is shocked by a new application from multinational corporation Monsanto to grow GM cotton in the Northern Territory.

The Commonwealth Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) sent the ECNT the following notification yesterday:

"You may be interested to know that we have received a new application from Monsanto Australia Limited (DIR 055/2004) for a licence for the intentional release of genetically modified herbicide tolerant (Roundup Ready® Flex MON 88913) and herbicide tolerant/insect resistant (Roundup Ready® Flex MON 88913/Bollgard II®) cottons into the environment under limited and controlled conditions.  A large scale field trial is proposed to be conducted in New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia."

See: www.ogtr.gov.au/rtf/ir/dir055.rtf

ECNT spokesperson Peter Robertson said the application was a brazen and provocative act, given that the NT Government has ruled out cotton in the NT and the fact that the OGTR has previously blocked commercial release of a different form of GM cotton in the NT due to concerns about it becoming a superweed.

"We call on the NT Government to block any further GM cotton trials in the NT. The Government must pass specific legislation banning GM crops just as the WA Government has recently done.

"Monsanto is brazenly pushing ahead with its ‘trials’despite increasing evidence from independent studies showing major problems with various forms of GM cotton."

For further information contact ECNT:
Phone: 08 8981 1984
Email: ecnt@octa4.net.au

Back to top