The aim is to persuade the Liberal/National government, who support the introduction of GM crops, that many farmers and consumers do not want GM.

An idea of what might be in store for farmers if GM crops are introduced is revealed in this familiar story from the US.

In 2005, Indiana farmers David and Dawn Runyon, almost lost their farm over seed they say they never planted.

Monsanto sent investigators to the Runyon’s home unannounced, demanded years of farming records, and later threatened to sue them for patent infringement.

“I wasn’t using their products, yet they were pounding on my door demanding information,” Mr Runyon said.

“It was just plain harassment.”

The Runyons say they signed no agreements, and if they were contaminated with the genetically modified seed, it blew over from a neighboring farm.

Eventually Monsanto dropped their action.

While governments in Australia succumb to the pressure of the US and multinationals such as Monsanto to introduce GM crops, small countries, such as Venezuela, recognise the need to make decisions in the national interest.

In 1993 Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, prohibited the growing of GM crops after Monsanto’s plans to grow 500,000 acres of GM soy surfaced.

Chavez emphasized the importance of food sovereignty and security as the basis of his decision.

Australia, meanwhile, will be the first country to accept the unique plant patent law with an end point royalty system which will allow a GM company to deduct a patent fee from a farmer’s grain payments unless he can prove no contamination.

Fair risk management will be denied to non-GM farmers by allowing GM companies to be financially rewarded for contaminating their crops.

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