Australia's GM Regulator Approves Field Trial of CSIRO's GM Canola

Australia's Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has issued license DIR 205 to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), allowing the field trial of canola genetically modified (GM) for increased abiotic stress tolerance.

The GM canola may be grown at up to three sites in New South Wales and South Australia, with a maximum planting area of 1.5 hectares in the first year and 2 hectares in the subsequent years. The trial may run from May 2025 until December 2030. The purpose of the field trial is to assess the performance of GM canola lines under field conditions in Australia, including environmental stress. The GM canola grown in this field trial will not be used in human food or animal feed.

The final Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) concludes that this limited and controlled release poses negligible risks to the health and safety of people and the environment. However, license conditions have been imposed to  limit the size, location, and duration of the release and to restrict spread and persistence of the GMOs and their genetic material in the environment.

The finalized RARMP, together with a summary of the RARMP, a set of Questions and Answers on this decision, and a copy of the license, are available online from the DIR 205 page on the OGTR website.