project 3.5
Adoption of Genetically Modified Grapevines
The production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is new and rapidly expanding, raising a number of commercial, regulatory and consumer acceptance issues not previously encountered by society.
To ensure that genetically modified grapevines have the potential for commercial use it will be necessary to assess the intellectual property constraints and to make careful choices about technologies that are used. This will be essential to ensure that the Australian grape industries have freedom to use any improved planting material that is developed.
Public acceptance of genetically modified plants and foods derived from them has varied greatly and there has been much recent debate on the legal, ethical and safety issues involved. No genetically modified grapes or yeast are used in the production of Australian wine. Although genetically modified grapevines will not be developed for commercial production in Australia for at least 8-10 years, it is important that the industry is aware of and informed about regulatory and consumer acceptance issues as we monitor the market's response to GMOs in other food products.
This project will develop a strategic plan to manage intellectual property, develop appropriate strategies to address regulatory issues and create a communication strategy to facilitate adoption of genetically modified varieties by the industry and acceptance by consumers.
project 3.5 - update
Communication to the grape and wine industries
The way in which the wine industry and consumers react to gene technology research on grapevines will be influenced by the ability to demonstrate clear benefits in using this technology. Overall, the aims of the communication strategy are to:- Assure consumers that no genetically modified (GM) grapes or yeast are used in the production of Australian wines.
- Actively communicate the research and its aims to the industry and promote understanding of the technology.
- Communicate to wine consumers and the broader community an overview of the research being carried out, the timeframes involved and the benefits it can provide in the longer term.
As public perceptions about GM foods and gene technology change, it will be necessary to continually modify the approaches used to achieve these aims. A single page statement "The Australian Wine Industry's Position on Gene Technology" was widely circulated to the industry in October 1999, and subsequently loaded on a number of relevant web sites, including the GWRDC and CRCV sites. The statement has now been discussed with industry peak groups to arrive at a suitable wording and progress its adoption as industry policy. A series of eight page colour brochures on 'Gene Technology and the Australian Grape Industries' is being produced to give basic information about gene technology and its use for viticultural research. A second brochure has been produced describing the research on fungal pathogens and root pests. The brochures were widely distributed and continuing requests for the brochure suggest that they are a valuable source of information. A third brochure describing the work on grapevine genomics is being prepared for production. A PowerPoint presentation has been developed to inform growers and winemakers about the grapevine gene technology research and how it fits into the overall research program. This has been shown at a number of grower meetings and further presentations are planned for winter 2003. In addition to wine industry specific communication activities, staff are participating in community events looking at the broader issues of gene technology and GM crops. These events provide the opportunity to explain the goals of our research to a wide cross section of the public and also to decision-makers at various levels.
