Australia Approves GM Barley and Wheat Trials

Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has received approval from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) for the limited and controlled release of transgenic wheat and barley lines with altered grain starch composition. The release will take place in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) on a maximum area of 1 hectare per year between July 2009 and June 2012. None of the GM materials will be allowed to enter the commercial human food and animal feed supply chain. However, some GM wheat and barley products, particularly flour, will be fed to pigs and rats. GM wheat products may also be used in human nutritional experiments.

According to a risk assessment plan prepared by the OGTR, CSIRO's planned release poses no significant risk to neither people nor the environment. CSIRO is bound to adopt certain measures to prevent GM escape to the environment, such as isolation of GM plants from their non-transgenic counterparts, careful monitoring of transport of GM materials and continuous monitoring of the field for volunteers two years after the release.

The Risk Assessment Plan, in addition to other documents, is available at http://www.ogtr.gov.au/internet/ogtr/publishing.nsf/Content/dir093