THE future of the state's cropping industry is at a crucial fork in the road - yet again.
This time, the critical call lies with SA councils, which have until September 30 to lodge an application to remain a genetically-modified crop-free area.
Once the September 30 deadline passes, there are no second chances.
Many councils have been consulting with their residents, conducting surveys and poring over submissions, with several taking the findings to their next council meetings for a decision.
Those that make the call to try and retain their GM-free status will then need to shift their focus from people's preferences to identifying and verifying the economic benefit such a move would bring.
At that point, the emotion must come out of the debate. Just wanting a GM-free status isn't enough to make it so - provided the government sticks to its stance of wanting proof of an economic benefit before granting any exemptions.
PIRSA says council applications should "relate to risks to marketing and trade only" and "not include matters of human health or environmental impacts".
Councils will need to "demonstrate that stakeholders in their area are currently receiving a marketing or trade advantage as a result of being a no GM food crop area" and "show evidence of market and trade advantages, including any price premiums, that could not be achieved without being declared a no GM food crop area".
Related reading: SA councils decide GM fate as deadline looms
But exactly how the applications will be dealt with remains a bit of an unknown. How much proof will be considered enough to satisfy the GM Crop Advisory Committee and the Primary Industries Minister?
What will be the tipping point at which the advantages of being GM-free identified by a particular council outweigh the government's desire to give farmers the ultimate choice about what crops they grow? Is one business attributing its financial success to being able to market itself as GM-free enough?
The final call will lie with new Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham, who inherited the task from former minister Tim Whetstone, who was passionate about putting crop choices back in farmers' hands.
Whether Mr Basham approaches the task with a similar determination, or a more reserved approach, remains to be seen.
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