A bid by the WA government to allow a certain amount of GM material in organic food has failed.

A bid by the West Australian government to allow a certain amount of genetically modified material in certified organic food has failed.

The WA Department of Agriculture and Food made a submission to the Organic Industry Standards and Certification Council in June, seeking a 0.9 per cent GM tolerance level.

But Australia's zero tolerance remains after the council rejected the application last week.

"The committee felt it was not consistent with the Codex Alimentarius (Commission) food standards code guidelines for organic production, which specifically prohibits any GM content in organic products," a council spokeswoman told AAP on Tuesday.

"The WA government had made mention of the US and the EU allowing a tolerance.

"The EU actually doesn't allow it in organic standards by default in its overall conventions and the US standards for organic regulation prohibits GMO."

She said anti-GM group FoodWatch had sent a petition signed by about 3000 people who objected to the WA government's submission.

"Just as the WA government is tenacious, they really mobilised themselves," she said.

Meanwhile, supporters of Kojonup organic famer Steve Marsh have raised more than $40,000 to help pay a potential court costs bill after he lost a landmark GM battle.

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Government's GM food bid fails