Australia
July 29, 2010

DIR 105 - Notification of licence application - Limited and controlled release of canola genetically modified for herbicide tolerance - posted 29 July 2010

NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION

Receipt of licence application from Monsanto for dealings involving intentional release of genetically modified (GM) canola (DIR 105)

Application

The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has received a licence application from Monsanto Australia Ltd (Monsanto) for the intentional release of genetically modified (GM) canola (DIR 105) into the environment, which qualifies as limited and controlled release under section 50A of the Gene Technology Act 2000 (the Act).

Monsanto is seeking approval to conduct a field trial of canola genetically modified for herbicide tolerance. The GM canola proposed for release is similar to the commercially approved Roundup Ready® canola. The purpose of the trial is to conduct experiments to evaluate the agronomic performance of the herbicide tolerant line under field conditions. The applicant proposes to limit the release to 2 sites in the first year, 8 sites in the second and third years, and up to 20 sites in the fourth year. Sites may be located in 46 possible local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales, 28 possible LGAs in Victoria and 53 possible LGAs in Western Australia. The exact site locations will be determined closer to planting. Each site will be a maximum of 10 ha and the trial will be conducted for four years from March 2011 to December 2014. The GM canola would not be used for human food or animal feed.

Purpose of this notification

A comprehensive Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) for the application is currently being prepared. I expect this to be released for public comment and advice from a broad range of experts, agencies and authorities in October 2010. The Act specifies a 30 day minimum consultation period if no significant risks to human health and safety or the environment are identified, and a 50 day minimum consultation period if significant risks are identified.

In the interim, you can obtain a copy of the application by contacting my Office (see contact details below, please quote the reference number DIR 105). As the application is quite lengthy, you may prefer to view a summary of the application, which is posted on our website along with this document (under ‘What’s New’). If you would like to receive a hard copy of the application summary, please contact us and we will post it to you.

If you have questions about the application, or how you can provide comment, please contact the OGTR at:
The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator, MDP 54, GPO Box 9848, Canberra, ACT, 2601
Telephone: 1800 181 030 Facsimile: 02 6271 4202 E-mail: ogtr@health.gov.au
Website http://www.ogtr.gov.au


DIR 105 - Licence Application Summary (PDF 66 KB)

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

Published: July 30, 2010