Worldwide, there is an increasing area and number of different genetically modified (GM) crops being grown in 21 countries.  Into the future, the number of different traits will also increase and is likely to include pharmaceutical and industrial products.  This year has seen the first commercial harvest of a transgenic sugar crop - a sugar beet grown in the USA containing a gene conferring herbicide tolerance.  In Australia to date, only GM cotton and carnations are in commercial production.  Canola has been approved for commercial release through the Federal regulatory system but is not grown commercially because of state-based moratoria in all states and territories except Queensland and the Northern Territory.Whilst numerous benefits of growing GM crops have been demonstrated (e.g., reduced insecticide use on plants producing insecticidal proteins, increased adoption of no/reduced tillage systems due to herbicide resistant crops, and an overall reduced environmental footprint) many challenges remain for the introduction of GM sugarcane.  Actions required include the following:·