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AUS – ACADEMY OF SCIENCE STATEMENT
17 December 2007 Source: The Australian Academy of Science
Source: www.science.org.au/policy/gene-tech.htm
SUPPORT FOR GENE TECHNOLOGY AND GM PLANTS
The Australian Academy of Science has released a statement saying it supports the responsible and ethical use of gene technologies to produce genetically modified (GM) plants for use in Australian agriculture.
The Australian Academy of Science believes that the current adverse consumer reaction by some citizens to GM, and the science system more broadly, has the potential to negatively impact on innovation. This then creates a flow-on risk of discouraging investment in research and development, harming Australia’s progress.
The Academy states that there are already immediate, urgent needs in the developing world to secure yields and to reduce the impact of pests, diseases and environmental degradation. The statement goes on to say that sometimes, the lack of full certainty, in an environment of manageable risk, should not be used as the reason to postpone measures where genetic modification can legitimately be used to address environmental or public health issues.
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