GM legislation expected to pass within weeks

The major amendment to the Genetically Modified Crops Management (Designated Area) Amendment Bill 2019 will be a provision to give the 68 local governments six-months from when the legislation passes to apply to continue the moratorium within their council areas.

The amendment will require councils to prove an economic reason for maintaining the moratorium in their region, but the final decision remains with the Primary Industries Minister.

Kangaroo Island will retain its GM-free status.

Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone called it a "historic day", which gave choice to growers "after 16 years and millions of dollars in lost economic and research opportunities".

"Lifting the moratorium will not only provide economic benefits for our farmers but it will put SA on a level playing field with every other mainland state in Australia, which have had access to GM technology for at least a decade," he said.

"The decision to lift the GM moratorium followed a high-level independent expert review, extensive industry and community consultation and the recommendations of the GM Crop Advisory Committee."

Opposition spokesperson for primary industries Eddie Hughes called the outcome a "win for graingrowers, a win for the state and good for research institutes in SA".

"This was an evidence-based, constructive dialogue, with both parties willing to compromise," he said.

"The emphasis has been on herbicide-resistant canola, but there is also omega-3 canola and researchers across Australia are looking at ways to help farmers adapt to climate change, or drought. There are a whole range of attributes being looked at."

He said the solution "gave a voice" to councils, even though the final decision rested with Mr Whetstone.

He said councils could choose to opt-in to maintain the moratorium - provided they had strong evidence.

"The arguments have got to be about market advantages and price premiums - the discussion about health lies with the federal government," he said.

Mr Hughes said in the past, Adelaide Hills Council had shown support for continuing the moratorium, although there had since been an election.

He said the amendment included provisions for research and development, so work to develop new GM varieties could continue even if the council an institute resided in opted to maintain the moratorium.

The legislation has entered the committee stage, before it will be voted on in the Lower House. It is expected to enter the Upper House when it sits again, from May 12.

The Greens' MLC Mark Parnell said the deal represented a "Labor capitulation" to agri-chemical companies, industry and the government.

"For Labor to think this gives (councils) autonomy is a cruel hoax," he said.

Mr Parnell said this bill had no protections in place for farmers in the case of contamination, something he says is inevitable.

He was hopeful there might be an opportunity to include further amendments when the bill reached the Upper House, but said that would depend on Labor.

"It's about whether Labor are prepared to acknowledge that we don't want a situation where farmers have to sue each other," he said.

Grain Producers SA has welcomed news "politics were put to the side" to get a resolution to many years of debate about the future of genetically-modified crops in SA.

GPSA president Wade Dabinett said the organisation had been working with the government and opposition for months to try and progress a bill to end the ban.

He said the council amendment, while not initially a measure GPSA had agreed with, should not form too much of a hold up.

"I think council areas, if they're going to pass a resolution to maintain the moratorium, have to ensure it's based on evidence, and all reviews show the premium does not exist," he said. "Certainly I would expect every graingrowing council region to sail through."

Mr Dabinett said this legislation would be passed too late to benefit canola growers for this season, with the sowing window nearly passed.

"It is unfortunate we weren't able to get a deal at the end of last year, but it's good that politics were put to the side and we've got a solution," he said.

He said there were opportunities for sowing GM safflower, which is sown later in the year.

"I think a lot of growers in the South East and Mallee will be looking seriously at that, " he said.

Local Government Association president Sam Telfer had concerns about the role local councils were being asked to play, saying to have an "extra level of responsibility foisted upon them" was disappointing.

"This isn't something councils have needed to deal with until this point," he said.

He said LGA would be helping councils work through the process, while councils would work closely with GPSA and local agricultural businesses.