Australia
June 5, 2025
Licence details
Licence number: DIR 211
Licence status: Current
Category: Agricultural
Release: Limited and controlled
Organisation: Miruku Australia Pty Ltd
Parent organism: Carthamus tinctorius L./Safflower
Modified trait: Dairy protein production; Altered fatty acid composition; Selectable markers – herbicide tolerance, antibiotic resistance, visual selectable marker
Licence issue date: 29 May 2025
Description:
This licence allows Miruku Australia Pty Ltd to grow field trials of safflower genetically modified for dairy protein production and altered fat composition.
The GM safflower may be grown from issue of the licence until December 2029.
The GM safflower may be grown on an area of up to 1 hectare in 2025, increasing to a maximum of 20 sites of up to 5 hectares each in 2029. The maximum total planting area is 231 hectares over the 5 years of the trial. The field sites may be located in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.
The aim of the trial is to assess how the GM safflower performs under field conditions.
The GM safflower grown in the field trial will not be used in commercial human food or animal feed.
Miruku Australia Pty Ltd must comply with a range of licence conditions that restrict when and where the trial can take place, limit the size of the trial, and minimise the GM safflower from spreading outside the trial. For example, there are conditions to contain the GM safflower within the trial site, to securely transport and store the GM safflower, and to destroy the GM safflower at the end of the trial.
The risk analysis for this application was carried out in accordance with the Regulator’s Risk Analysis Framework.
You can find out more about safflower and how it is farmed in Australia in our biology document. You can find more information about GM plants authorised for release into the environment on our website.
Date application received: 15 October 2024
RARMP open for public consultation: 20 March 2025
RARMP closed for public consultation: 1 May 2025
Documents
Licence decision - notification
Outlines the Regulator’s decision to issue a licence following the assessment of this application.
Download DIR 211 as Word - 93.22 KB
Download DIR 211 as PDF - 169.28 KB
Licence decision - Q&A
FAQs on the licence application and the Regulator’s decision to issue a licence for this application.
Download DIR 211 as Word - 26.39 KB
Download DIR 211 as PDF - 104.06 KB
Risk assessment and risk management plan - summary
A summary of the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan prepared as part of the assessment of this application. It provides a brief description of the licence application, the risk assessment and risk management plan.
Download DIR 211 as Word - 157.47 KB
Download DIR 211 as PDF - 232.67 KB
Risk assessment and risk management plan - full version
The final risk assessment and management plan prepared to support the Regulator's decision. It describes the GMO(s) and proposed work with the GMO(s) and provides an assessment of potential risks posed by the GMO(s). It also includes a summary of submissions received during the public consultation process.
Download DIR 211 as Word - 801.35 KB
Download DIR 211 as PDF - 1.39 MB
Licence conditions
Sets out the licence conditions imposed by the Regulator, including the licence holder’s general and specific obligations and reporting requirements.
Download DIR 211 as Word - 217.02 KB
Download DIR 211 as PDF - 450.5 K
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