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Overseas experience
Genetically modified canola has been planted in Canada since 1996, and now represents around 85 per cent of the country’s canola crop. Since 1996 production has increased 40 per cent and average yields have increased 27 per cent. In a grower survey conducted in 2001, farmers chose to grow GM canolas for easier and better weed control, better yields and reduced costs.
Australian experience
Prior to the commercial release of GM canola in Australia a number of studies were completed to examine the potential of GM canola in the Australian farming system. These include:
- Canola and Australian Farming Systems - a report published by the University of Melbourne in 2007 which predicted that if half of the Australian canola crop was sown to GM canola, 640 tonnes less triazine herbicides would be used each year and an extra 225,000 hectares of canola would be grown by direct drilling or minimum tillage.
- a long-term trial undertaken by Professor Jim Pratley at Charles Sturt University in NSW, compared the yield and economic performance of a GM herbicide tolerant canola variety with conventional canola varieties over a typical five-year crop rotation system. The study showed that the GM canola consistently delivered superior weed control, higher yields and oil quality and better profits when compared to current common canola varieties grown under conventional weed management systems.
- A report released by ABARE in 2008 entitled Economic impact of GM crops in Australia notes that the potential benefits of GM crop adoption in Australia include yield increases; cheaper and more flexible herbicide use options; reduced costs relating to herbicides, labour, machinery use, and time; environmental and occupational health and safety benefits for on-farm workers; and, potential increases in off-farm incomes.
Following the first commercial year of GM canola in Australia, in New South Wales and Victoria in 2008 a number of reports were released. These include:
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