THE DEVELOPERS of HB4 wheat, the genetically modified, drought tolerant variety commercialised in Argentina, have said they will seek approval to trial the crop in Australia.
Bioceres Crop Solutions is putting in the paperwork to the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to get approval to conduct trials of the wheat, which is billed as having better tolerance with moisture stress and heat.
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Earlier in the year, Food Standards Australia New Zealand approved the consumption of food containing the GM material.
Farmer groups have long been interested in the potential of GM wheat but consumers may be harder to win over.
In submissions to FSANZ prior to it issuing approval for the GM wheat to enter Aussie and Kiwi food chains three major baking businesses, Champion, Allied Pinnacle and George Weston all expressed opposition to the move.
Should the application for trials be approved by the OGTR it is still a long path to commercialisation for the GM wheat, which much be thoroughly tested over a number of years.
So far, only Argentina and Brazil have approved the planting of the GM wheat.
GM varieties are the norm in grain crops such as corn and soybeans.
But difficulties working with wheat's complex genetic make-up, combined with less planted area in developed nations, have meant there have been far fewer developments in GM wheat lines.
The fact wheat is also directly consumed by humans, whereas corn and soybeans often go to livestock, has also slowed acceptance.
In its submission to FSANZ George Weston said that while it supported innovation in agriculture it would prefer to see investment in conventional breeding techniques.
However, in Argentina, a leading biscuit maker, Havanna, is using the GM wheat and promoting it as a product with a lower environmental footprint.
Gregor Heard
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
