Letters to the editor - Oct 17

Australia's science-based regulator has approved the use of genetically-modified crops across Australia, with SA being the only mainland state to still have a GM moratorium.

But Ms Hodges chooses to run with her anti-science agenda, and simply ignores the increasing number of growers who want to make straightforward decisions about the crops they grow.

Lifting the moratorium on mainland SA will give growers the freedom of choice to grow the crops that best suit their farming systems.

This should be a choice for SA growers to make, not parliamentarians or people pushing an anti-science agenda.

We have seen the impacts a changing climate has on grain production for the last two seasons.

Exciting developments in Australian research are taking place, with researchers developing crops that are drought and frost tolerant.

But, South Australian farmers will only see the benefit if our grains sector has the freedom of choice to adopt this technology and incorporate it into our farming systems.

Another opportunity from GM technology that has the potential to benefit society more generally is omega-3 canola, the world's first plant-based source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

This has been developed by the CSIRO to help reduce reliance on wild fish stocks as a source of omega-3, which is vital for human health.

Ms Hodges and others who share her views are denying our state's farmers the science and technology needed to feed the world.

Let's take the politics out of agronomy and let our farmers continue to produce safe and nutritious food in a sustainable manner.

With respect, I have a totally different attitude.to Heather Heggie in her letter 'Act on climate change' (Stock Journal, September 19).

The problem evidently began with, what I have been told, was wrong information related by Al Gore and later by our own Tim Flannery.

Anyone can see the climate is changing. It never stops changing, but just how much mankind is to blame is a moot point.

As for sea level rising - where?

It is not difficult to find land that is sinking, but I know that my clan's castle in Scotland is either rising from the sea or the sea is retreating as what was once a fortress sea gate is now many metres from water. No rising sea there.

If we are not coping with managing the increase of plastic waste, how can anyone think we can change the mindset of a burgeoning world population on how they manage their lives?

The most practical thing we can do is to learn to cope with the changing world, because we have exactly zero hope of changing anything.

It may be more to the point if the "climate changers" were open with their motives.

Mankind has two drivers - fear and greed.

Some clever greedy people are generating a fear mindset in the population, especially in school children.

These children are being terrified and manipulated, but it would be far more honest and open to teach them how to cope.

Creating mass hysteria with skip school rallies is not the way forward.

The last thing we need is yet another layer of bureaucracy. Climate police - think of the revenue!