POPPY Growers Tasmania chairman Glynn Williams and chief executive Keith Rice travelled to Canberra last month with Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff to seek an extension of the Tasmania-only poppy-growing moratorium.
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They met with Assistant Health Minister Senator Fiona Nash.
Mr Rice said that they received a very good hearing from Senator Nash, "but no commitment at all".
"She said that interfering in commercial arrangements was something the government wouldn't go near in the normal course of events," Mr Rice said.
"But the Tasmanian poppy crop has a level of governance above any other crop and, to use her words, `it is a dangerous drug crop'.
"Senator Nash was clearly well briefed and right across the issue - she made it clear that the government takes very seriously its responsibility in respect to international convention obligations, but it would not seek to interfere with normal trade and commerce arrangements unless it felt that was absolutely necessary.
"She said that the mainland [poppy] growing issue was quite complex, multi-layered across several agencies at the federal level, involved several states and territories at this stage and could well involve all states and territories in the future.
"Senator Nash said that any response [to mainland states and territories growing poppies] had to be measured, responsible and address the principle issue of security.
"She also said that, in her view, Tasmania was most importantly regarded as having the best security arrangements in the world and security could not be compromised."
Mr Rice said that Senator Nash also acknowledged Tasmania was regarded as having the most advanced crop production systems in the world and this reputation had to be safeguarded, and assured the Tasmanian delegation that she would consult widely before making a decision.