Sydney Royal Easter show is in full swing and hundred of thousands of city and country folk will see the best the bush has to offer at the Homebush showgrounds.

Despite about 40 per cent of NSW being in the grip of drought, there are a great number of entries, and the condition of livestock and the quality of produce is exceptionally high.

Visitors will also see hundreds of horses in dozens of competition classes.

At one point in the equine influenza campaign it seemed unlikely that horses would be there.

The fact we have horses at the Royal Easter - and the staging of the 2008 Sydney Royal Horse Classic offering $100,000 in prize money - is a tribute to our horse industries and their dedication and resilience in eradicating horse flu in NSW.

The State Government is a solid supporter of the show and I wish all competitors at this year’s good luck for their chosen competition.

Genetically modified canola

Approval for genetically modified (GM) canola to be grown commercially in NSW represents a new era of choice for the State’s farmers.

However, limited seed stocks means there will be a small crop this year in NSW.

I recently approved the commercial production of GM canola following advice from the NSW Expert Committee on Gene Technology.

The commercial production of GM canola in NSW is legal, provided that it has been approved for commercial release by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR).

This move brings us in line with Victoria and overseas countries such as Canada, which is the dominant exporter of canola, where GM canola is approved.

The moratorium has only been lifted for GM canola and is consistent with requirements of the Gene Technology (GM Crop Moratorium) Act.

More info on GM canola at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/field/field-crops/oilseeds/canola/gm