December 13, 2017

The Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs last week announced the commencement of an inquiry into mechanisms for compensation for economic loss to farmers in WA caused by contamination by genetically modified material. Prompted by the tabling of a petition by the Hon Diane Evers MLC on 13 June, the Minister for Agriculture and Food supported the committee investigating whether there needs to be a mechanism in place. With GM canola being a legal

The state’s agricultural industry faces the loss of immense knowledge and skills, with the State Government’s voluntary redundancy scheme set to hit the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) hard. Minister for Agriculture and Food Alannah MacTiernan confirmed redundancies would be offered in an effort to ‘rebuild’ the department, which recorded only 965 FTE in 2016 compared to 1,581 FTE in 2007 when it was still the Department of Agriculture and Food WA.