REPRESENTATIVES for about 120 Queensland and NSW sorghum growers involved in a class action against seed supplier Advanta sat down for two days of mediation in Brisbane starting today.
The growers are seeking compensation for their farm businesses impacted by the weed shattercane, the seed of which they say was contained in MR43 Elite seed supplied by Advanta Seeds (formerly Pacific Seeds).
In addition to being a new, expensive to control plant pest, growers argue shattercane outcompetes commercial sorghum crops and has stopped the production of optimally profitable sorghum on sorghum crop rotations.
Crows Nest based farmer and lead plantiff Andrew Jenner said shattercane had prompted him to sell his farming country at Pilton.
"We lost our ability to grow sorghum," Mr Jenner said.
"It's like bamboo, you can almost see it growing.
"It seems to only grow in a wetter season, but it has a staggered germination making it very difficult to manage."
If a settlement cannot be reached during the two days of mediation, the matter will head to court at the end of March. Four weeks has been allocated to hear the matter.
The mediation are being handled by former federal court judge Ray Finkelstein.
The case is the first class action to be heard in the Supreme Court of Queensland.
