Scientists urge GM technology use

New Zealand agriculture could fall to "Third World" status in 20 years if it doesn't take up genetic modification technology, say leading agricultural scientists.

Speaking at a biotechnology workshop at Agresearch's Ruakura campus on Thursday, Crop and Food Research scientist Dr Tony Conner said uptake of GM technology was increasing worldwide.

"If we don't adopt this technology then we will be left behind. By 20 years' time we could fall behind and be a Third World country," Dr Conner said.

GM crops offered higher yields and improved traits like pest resistance, but concern over the technology has prompted opposition to its commercial release in New Zealand. GM crop use increased 13 per cent last year, with 102 million ha, or four times the area of New Zealand, planted in 2006. Half was in the US.

PGG Wrightsons general manager technology services and former Crop and Food chief executive Paul Tocker, said trials were currently under way in North America for a ryegrass that could potentially grow 35-40 tonnes of dry matter per hectare per year. Usual New Zealand ryegrasses achieved 12-15 tonnes/dm/ha/year, with just over 20 tonnes possible in best practice operations.

This had huge implications for the dairy industry, which was already under threat as a low-cost producer.

"If the rest of the world can grow 40 tonnes and we can only grow 20 tonnes, we have got big problems," Mr Tocker said.

He estimated high-producing GM ryegrasses were three to five years from commercial release, with palatability and energy content still needing work.

"If we are not in that space then we have got that challenge. The competition of the dairy industry is critical to this country."

Although 60 field tests have been conducted in the past 20 years, mostly on potatoes, no one had applied for commercial release of a GM crop or organism.

"If we do not stay in that science as a nation it will pass us by and we'll never regain that."

Mr Tocker said New Zealand did not have the scale to justify the expense of local testing for GM crops, so many companies, including PGG Wrightson, conducted field tests offshore that would be unlikely to gain approval under current rules.

"It's a concern for me as a New Zealander that the environment (to develop GM products) is just not there.

"In New Zealand we're probably going to struggle to get anything in the ground unless it's of such medical value that we can then wrap the controls around it. Then why would you do it in New Zealand? Why not do it somewhere cheaper?"

- © Fairfax NZ News