Australia
July 16, 2010

DIR 101 - Notification of decision to issue a licence on application

NOTIFICATION OF DECISION

ISSUE OF LICENCE DIR 101 TO MONSANTO FOR THE LIMITED AND CONTROLLED RELEASE OF GM COTTON

The Gene Technology Regulator has made a decision to issue a licence in respect of application DIR 101 from Monsanto Australia Limited (Monsanto). The applicant has received approval for the limited and controlled release of cotton genetically modified for insect resistance either alone or in combination with herbicide tolerance. The licence permits the GM cottons to be grown at up to 50 sites per year between October 2010 and October 2014, including summer plantings in current cotton growing regions of Queensland and New South Wales, and winter plantings in prospective cotton growing areas in the north west of Western Australia. The maximum combined area of plantings is 50 ha in the first year, 100 ha in the second year, and 500 ha per year in the third and fourth years.

The decision to issue the licence was made after extensive consultation on the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) with the public, State and Territory governments, Australian Government agencies, the Minister for the Environment, the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee and relevant local councils, as required by the Gene Technology Act 2000 and corresponding State and Territory laws.

Issues relating to the health and safety of people and the protection of the environment raised during the consultation process on this application were considered in finalising the RARMP and in making the decision to issue the licence.

The Executive Summary, Technical Summary and complete finalised RARMP, together with a set of Questions and Answers on this decision and a copy of the licence, can be obtained on-line from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s website or requested via the contacts detailed below.

Office of the Gene Technology Regulator MDP 54 GPO Box 9848 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Telephone: 1800 181 030 Facsimile: 02 6271 4202 http://www.ogtr.gov.au

DIR 101 - Questions and Answers (PDF 14 KB)

DIR 101 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) Executive Summary (PDF 65 KB)

DIR 101 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) Technical Summary (PDF 131 KB)

DIR 101 - Full Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) for Limited and Controlled Release of Cotton Genetically Modified for Insect Resistance and Herbicide Tolerance (PDF 510 KB)

DIR 101 - Licence Application Summary (PDF 69 KB)

DIR 101 – GM Cotton Licence Conditions (PDF 112 KB)


Reference material

Risk Analysis Framework for Licence Applications to the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (3rd Edition) 2009
The Biology of Gossypium hirsutum L. and Gossypium barbadese L. (cotton) in Australia
Map of Local Government Areas where cotton is grown
 

Website: http://www.ogtr.gov.au

Published: July 16, 2010