Commercialising GM crops: assessing the costs and benefits

摘要

Controversy over GM foods poses dilemmas for the Australian grain cropping industry in deciding whether to commercially release the genetically modified crops it has developed. The decision making process for commercial release needs to be science based but augmented by the consideration of economic factors. In particular, decisions must account for the possible costs of identity preservation and any loss of price premiums for certified nongenetically modified grain. The case study of genetically modified canola in Australia suggests that the agronomic benefits of this novel crop could be outweighed, under some circumstances, by additional marketing costs and the loss of price premiums. However, profitable production may be possible in some regions