Agrifood Awareness Australia executive director Paula Fitzgerald will tell the conference that GM crops "for feed, fibre and food are a reality of Australian life".

"They have been successfully grown, traded and consumed in Australia and around the world since 1996," Ms Fitzgerald says.

"Gene technology is a key plant science tool, helping to deliver better agricultural products and practices – which in turn results in more sustainable food production."

She argues that the public needs to be more aware of the role gene technology already plays in our everyday lives.

"The reality is that GM crops are helping us to manage our biggest food production challenges caused by weeds, pests, disease, drought and climate change," she said.

"In the future, they will also contribute solutions to some of our growing societal health concerns such as heart disease and diabetes. This will be achieved through GM crop varieties with healthier oil profiles and low GI grains," she said.

"Gene technology is used to produce insulin to help diabetes sufferers, it provided a vaccine for equine influenza and it may well be the technology that delivers a swine flu vaccine."

Ms Fitzgerald says all gene technology research and products are highly regulated in Australia to ensure health and environmental safety.

"While some people may choose to avoid these products, should they prevent others from having a choice?" she asked.

"Those campaigning against GM crops with stunts and costumes conveniently ignore the science.

"To raise doubts about the safety of approved GM crops, and implicitly question the safety of Australia’s food supply, is simply irresponsible."