AgroPages-Australia to approve Bayer’s GM canola-Agricultural news

The Australian Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) is currently assessing licence application DIR 138 from Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd for the commercial release of InVigor® x TruFlex™ Roundup Ready® canola. This canola is the result of conventional breeding between the GM InVigor® and GM TruFlex™ Roundup Ready® canola lines which were individually authorised for commercial release under licences DIR 021/2002 and DIR 127, respectively. The GM canola proposed for release contains genes for a hybrid breeding system and tolerance to the herbicides glufosinate and glyphosate.

Subject to any State government restrictions imposed for marketing reasons or other relevant legislation, the proposed commercial release of the GM canola would be Australia-wide, and the GM canola and GM canola-derived products would enter general commerce, including use in human food and animal feed.

A consultation Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) has been prepared, which concludes that the proposed release would pose negligible risk to human health and safety or to the environment. Draft licence conditions are proposed to ensure there is ongoing oversight of the release.

The Regulator welcomes written submissions in order to finalise the RARMP, which will then inform the decision on whether or not to issue a licence. Submissions should be received by close of business on 15 January 2016.