Understanding Biotechnology

What is Biotechnology

Overview of Biotechnology

History of Biotechnology

Why do we do biotechnology?

Biotechnology for the environment

Biotechnology for food and agriculture

I’ve called this a balance sheet really to draw attention to what is essential to all of us and that is profitability. Whether self employed farmers, retailers or wage earners, we all need money. For self employed people profitability is the bottom line and that won’t change in 20 or even 100 years.

The reason farmers like me are questioning GM food crops is basically due to concerns about profitability. We need to look at the things which affect profitability and which are affected by profitability both now and in 2020.

I’ll start with productivity in a GM scenario for 2020. By then GM food crops are still predominately herbicide tolerant - these have proven to be the most lucrative for the developers, as they require farmers to buy their seeds and their chemicals and to pay royalties, even thought in effect this is really just another weed management tool. Promised increases in yield have failed to materialise, which didn’t surprise growers considering the Biotech companies refusal to release agronomic data before commercial release was granted in 2006. As global warming kicks in and as Australia’s Autumn break comes later, GM crops perform worse than conventional ones, again we knew this was coming as the Biotech companies refused to sow trials in 2004 citing drought as a major reason. They are less stable than mendelian bred varieties forcing farmers to buy new varieties each year, there is an increased use of more toxic chemicals as resistance to key chemical groups has increased, patent costs have gone up, there are monopolies on seed and chemicals resulting in less competition; you need to bear in mind that by 2005 Monsanto already owned over 90% of the world’s GM seed; and there is widespread and irreversible contamination. The chemical companies learnt a lesson from glyphosate. i.e. when the patent ran out it was copied by China at a reduced price so they learned to rely on binding farmers through contract, not just patents.

After the introduction of GM canola in 2006, segregation and Identity Preservation, (being testing, extra time/money for machinery clean downs etc.,) costs went from $50p/h to $70p/h and then as contamination became widespread the segregation of GM and non GM was abandoned. Unfortunately the segregation costs were not dropped and the bulk handling companies, who also have monopolies gave this saving to the share holders.. As non GM growers were landed with all the segregation and IP costs and all the liabilities, many have been forced out of the industry, just as organic farmers have found it more and more difficult to exist.

Farmers haven’t be spared in the litigious climate created by attempts at segregation, >-lost markets, diminished productivity and profits, so non GM farmers have sought equity from the only legal avenue available and that is to sue GM farmers. As a result many are tied up in costly litigation they can ill afford.

So we can see that all input costs increased for all growers since the introduction of GM food crops.

Markets in 2020 under a GM regime

In 2005 17% of our workforce was employed directly or indirectly in the agricultural sector, by 2020 this has dwindled to 10% as Biotech companies dominate seed production. These monopolies in the industry impact on scientific researchers, private seed companies, and other employees in the industry are finding it increasingly difficult to find work. Between 1995 and 2004, after Canada adopted GM canola and signed an FTA with the US, 13% of farmers went to the wall. Canadian farmers held rallies in 2005 in Canada to get their subsidies increased. The Australian Govt. does not support subsidies in 2020 so the same has happened in Australia and many farmers here and all their knowledge disappeared

Viability, sustainability and the environment - under a GM regime

Due to the increase use of glyphosate, soil fungus is rampant, affecting wheat yields, and widespread resistance to this once important weed management tool, renders glyphosate almost useless and the resistance of wild radish to 2,4-d first identified in 2005 has escalated. Farmers are having to resort to more toxic chemicals to control unwanted GM Herbicide Tolerant volunteers. As the use of hormone sprays increases, biodiversity decreases as many native species, including many trees planted under the Landcare umbrella die under the onslaught of continuous use of these hormone based chemicals.

As farmers’ incomes are reduced, there is little money left to spend on the environment and projects such as salt reduction, erosion remediation and tree plantings are abandoned.

New Zealand released a GM virus in 2007 into their possum population in order to eradicate this pest. This has jumped the Tasman and has all but eradicated our own possums, as well it has jumped species and we are finding other marsupials numbers also declining - a huge potential threat to our tourist industry.

Grasses genetically engineered to stop growing at 2inches designed for golf links, football and cricket fields, to eliminate the need for mowing, has been planted throughout metropolitan Sydney. Turf grasses, in most cases,

are varitities of grasses used for pasture. These GM turf grasses have cross pollinated with pasture species rendering the Cumberland plain- area outside Sydney virtually unproductive.

In 2021 the Federal Government changed the legislation and included economics & productivity as well as the current Health, Safety and the Environment. Strict liability was also imposed. It cost the taxpayer millions of dollars in remediation and it took Australia 16 years to return to a GM free status.

Productivity -GM free

In comparison , this is what the markets would look like in 2020 if we remain GM free

by 2020, Australia is the biggest GM free grain export country in the world. With unfettered access, our products are highly sought after with a premium being passed to growers. Governments are realising the value of independent research and that, coupled with private research is leading to innovative, stable varieties which meet the needs of growers and consumers. Diversity in plant breeding is increasing as Australia’s GM free reputation grows in demand both domestically and for export markets boosting both the national and rural economies.

In contrast, this is what would happen to viability, sustainability, and the environment if Australia stays GM FREE

As world demand for GM free cops grow, farmers, both organic and conventional are financially rewarded and our sustainability is ensured. Farmers incomes stabilise, the physical environment is better cared for, our trees are healthy, our soils are healthy, our crops are healthy and so too our livestock. A healthy return for farmers means a healthy social environment with viable rural communities. This flourishing agricultural business attracts more scientists, agronomists and others workers into the industry. All this happened because we did our sums in 2005 and adopted the not just the best practices, but the most profitable farming practices for all of us, where all get a share of the cake. We realised that we needed to understand, that regardless of claims of reduced chemicals, increased yields, health giving input traits, unless there is proof of profitability for farmers, then they are useless tools.

In 2005 the Gene Technology Act was reviewed and subsequently amended in 2006 to include, productivity and economics and strict liability. This ensured a future where any innovations in genetic engineering which was under consideration for commercial licence had to meet the following criteria. The applicant had to provide independent agronomic data, independent markets research, be legally responsible for liabilities for loss of income to non GM farmers, validated testing systems and all costs revealed. These amendments ensured a profitable and equitable future was guaranteed for everyone in the agricultural industry and Australia led the way in independent research, biodiversity, non GM genomics and GM technology.