DIR 093 - Limited and controlled release of wheat and barley genetically modified for altered grain starch composition

NOTIFICATION OF DECISION

ISSUE OF LICENCE DIR 093 TO CSIRO FOR A LIMITED AND CONTROLLED RELEASE OF GM WHEAT AND BARLEY

The Gene Technology Regulator has made a decision to issue a licence in respect of application DIR 093 from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The applicant has received approval for the limited and controlled release of 3 wheat lines and 1 barley line genetically modified for altered grain starch composition. The release is expected to take place at one site in the ACT on a maximum area of 1 ha between July 2009 and June 2012. None of the GM wheat or barley plants will be permitted to enter the commercial human food or animal feed supply chain. However, some products made from the GM wheat or barley may be fed to rats and pigs in controlled laboratory experiments, and some products from the GM wheat may be used as part of a carefully controlled nutritional study in humans.

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, Heritage and the Arts and the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee, 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 093 - Notification of decision to issue a licence on application - posted 5 June 2009 (PDF 44 KB)

DIR 093 - Questions and Answers (PDF 17 KB)

DIR 093 - Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) Executive Summary (PDF 59 KB)

DIR 093 - Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) Technical Summary (PDF 82 KB)

DIR 093 - Full Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) for limited and controlled release of wheat and barley genetically modified for altered grain starch composition (PDF 663 KB)

DIR 093 - Licence application summary (PDF 75 KB)

DIR 093 - GM Wheat and Barley Licence Conditions (PDF 157 KB)

Reference material

Risk Analysis Framework for Licence Applications to the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 2007

Related documents

The Biology of Triticum aestivum L. em Thell. (Bread Wheat) (2008 version)

The Biology of Hordeum vulgare L. (Barley) (2008 version)