DECISION ON ISSUING A LICENCE FOR APPLICATION DIR 038/2003

The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator of Australia (the Regulator) has made a decision to issue a licence in respect of application DIR 038/2003 from CSIRO.  The application requests approval to undertake a limited and controlled releases of genetically modified (GM) herbicide tolerant cotton to be planted at 16 sites over a maximum of 45 hectares per year in New South Wales and Queensland during the 2003-2006 cotton-growing seasons.  The GM cotton is tolerant to glufosinate ammonium, the active constituent of Liberty^Ò herbicide.

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 and Heritage, the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee and the relevant local councils, as required by the Gene Technology Act 2000.

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 licence imposes specific conditions to ensure that the risk management plan is implemented, including requirements for a pollen trap, restrictions on the use of the GM cotton seed and post-harvest monitoring of the trial site.

The Executive Summary and complete finalised Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan together with the licence conditions can be obtained on-line from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s website or by contacting the office directly.

Complete and summary versions of the finalised RARMP and the licence conditions can be obtained on-line from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s website or at the address below.