THE State Government has moved quickly to introduce legislation to parliament, giving it a second-crack at lifting the state’s genetically modified (GM) crop ban.

Proposed legislation which would have seen the GM crop moratorium lifted across the state’s mainland on December 1 were blocked in the Legislative Council last week by Labor, The Greens and SA Best.

The parties came together after criticising primary industries minister Tim Whetstone for making the decision using a ministerial regulation, rather than introducing legislation to parliament – as the State Government did yesterday.

The block sparked fierce backlash from local farmers, who wanted the choice to grow the crops to improve yields and to battle drought.

Primary industries minister Tim Whetstone said he wanted the bill to be dealt with this sitting week to allow farmers to plan their 2020 crop.

“Not only have the promised premiums failed to eventuate, South Australian farmers have been penalised by being GM free,” he said.

“Instead of earning more than growers in other states, a comparison of canola prices across Australia on November 28, 2019, shows South Australian farmers are earning less, with our GM-free canola being discounted by the markets.

“The day after Labor, SA Best and the Greens combined to block lifting the GM moratorium, South Australian canola was trading $60 below the price of non-GM canola in Western Australia, $29 below the price of non-GM canola in New South Wales and $10 less than the price of non-GM canola in Victoria.”