Michael G. K. Jones

In a landmark West Australian Supreme Court decision, a farmer growing a genetically modified canola crop has been spared the blame after his neighbour accused him of contaminating his organic farm next door. The case has prompted strong reactions, but my view is that the verdict is a victory for common sense. It is regrettable that the case occurred in the first place, and has caused personal anguish to both farmers, their families and their community. The case involved two farmers, Steve Marsh and Michael Baxter, who owned neighbouring farms near Kojonup, about 250 km southeast of Perth. Marsh’s farm was certified organic by the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA). The court ruled that Michael Baxter could not be blamed for his canola harvesting methods. Angie Raphael/AAP Marsh alleged that after Baxter swathed his crop (a common practice in harvesting canola, in which the crop is cut and then laid in rows to dry), some of the GM canola was blown onto Marsh’s farm. As a result, Marsh lost his organic certification from the NASAA for part of his property. Marsh claimed that Baxter was negligent in planting and harvesting his GM canola and sought damages for loss of organic status, and to prevent Baxter from planting GM canola near his boundaries again.

The most economically important virus infecting subterranean clover within pastures in Australia is subterranean clover mottle virus (SCMoV) which is transmitted by trampling and grazing of stock, on mower blades, on the wheels of vehicles and through seed. SCMoV was originally discovered in 1979 in plots of subterranean clover at Karridale in south-west Australia. Subsequently, infection was shown to be common in high rainfall pastures in Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. It was also found naturally infecting some other cultivated annual clovers, and wild annual clovers, such as cluster clover. Diseased clover plants show obvious symptoms consisting of leaf mottling, leaf distortion, decreased leaf size and plant stunting. The incidence of infection often reaches high levels within old pastures. Infection decreases herbage and seed production, diminishing feed for stock and ability of pastures to regenerate annually from seed. The virus contributes to the decline of the subterranean clover component within pastures. Although the reactions of subterranean clover and annual medics to infection with SCMoV are known, there is incomplete information on whether infection with SCMoV might pose a threat to the productivity of pastures sown with the alternative annual pasture and forage legumes currently under evaluation for their commercial potential or already being sown commercially.