Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Peacock, said biotechnology will play an important role in addressing global issues of food security.

“We lose 12 per cent of yields around the world to disease pathogens, and GM technologies offer a means to increase global food supply,” Dr Peacock said.

With GM canola set to be grown in NSW and Victoria, ABARE principal research economist Max Foster said that evidence of separate markets for GM and non-GM grains are already present in world markets.

“World trade in soybeans, corn, canola and cotton is dominated by GM varieties, but non-GM crop varieties coexist as niche markets,” Mr Foster said.

Victorian canola grower Andrew Broad told the conference that biotechnology will play a significant role in the Australian grain industry remaining competitive, with declining yields and profitability from canola becoming significant issues.