This page is​​​​​​​​​​​​ currently under review as part of the implementation of the 2018 Review of Tasmania's genetically modified organisms (GMO) moratorium.

​​The most recent former GM Canola Trial Sites Audit was conducted in May 2014. The results of this audit and a summary are published below:

  GM Canola Former Trial Sites Audit Report May2014   (262Kb)

Summary of the May 2014 Audit Report

The most recent audit occurred from 26 – 29 May 2014. This was undertaken by DPIPWE staff and the compliance officer for Bayer CropScience. All 53 remaining sites were inspected.

Volunteer canola plants at various stages of development were found at 3 former trial sites. This is about normal for this time of year.

Two of the sites where canola plants were detected during this audit were ones that had been a problem over summer and had been recently re-sown to crops and again turned up large numbers of plants. At the other site there had been some minor disturbance and plants were found there.

These and any more canola emerging should be controlled by the farmer's herbicide program and grazing but the sites will be regularly monitored.

Over half of the sites were under pasture. Some of these have not been disturbed for many years but all can be expected to have dormant canola seed in the soil that will not germinate until soil disturbance takes place.

During the period of this audit all sites had reasonable moisture levels. The sites that were being cropped had mostly been planted but a few were still in a state of fallow.

During audits, DPIPWE routinely survey nearby roadsides and other areas to ensure containment is being achieved. During this audit, no canola plants were found on roadsides.

Previous audits were completed in April 2014, May 2013 and March 2013.  The results of the audits from March 2013 to date are published below.  If you require copies of audits prior to March 2013 please contact the Department on email: agpolicyadmin@dpipwe.tas.gov.au.

Summary of the April 2014 Audit Report

The audit occurred from 31 March – 8 April 2014. This was undertaken by DPIPWE staff. All 53 remaining sites were inspected.

Volunteer canola plants were found at 16 former trial sites.

During this audit a much larger number of sites than there had been for the last few years had canola plants recorded even though there were no more sites than normal with soil disturbance. All of these sites have previously recorded plants in the last few years. Most of these sites were being cropped but several had been disturbed through road or drainage works.

Several of these sites recorded large numbers of canola plants. These had newly sown crops and the canola plants should be controlled with the normal crop herbicide program, but will be closely monitored. These sites have also had previous recordings of high numbers of canola plants.

The other sites just continue to have a low number of plants appear sporadically and it seems that at this audit they all decided to appear. All canola plants at these sites were rogued and any more canola appearing should be controlled by the farmers herbicide program and grazing but the sites will be regularly monitored.

Over half of the sites were under pasture. Some of these have not been disturbed for many years but all can be expected to have dormant canola seed in the soil that will not germinate until soil disturbance takes place.

During the period of this audit all sites had reasonable moisture levels. The sites that were being cropped had mostly been planted but a few were still in a state of fallow.

During audits, the DPIPWE routinely surveys nearby roadsides and other areas to ensure containment is being achieved. During this audit, no canola plants were found on roadsides.

Summary of the May 2013 Audit Report

The audit occurred from 27 - 30 May 2013. This was undertaken by DPIPWE staff. All 53 remaining sites were inspected.

Volunteer canola plants at various stages of development were found at 4 former trial sites.

Two of the sites were expected to have canola appear as they have been cropped for the past year with regular sightings of canola but the other two had not recorded any sightings for some years. One site has had a perennial crop in for the last eight years with no recordings of canola but also no soil disturbance. It was recently cultivated with the result that canola seedlings have now appeared. The other site had regularly been cropped and was approaching sign off stage but now has recorded several young plants appearing.

During the period of this audit over half of the sites were under pasture or a situation which had not involved recent soil disturbance. These can be expected to have dormant canola seed in the soil that will not germinate until soil disturbance takes place.

The sites in the north of the state had reasonable moisture levels while those sites in the south were still very dry with only a couple being irrigated. The sites that were going to be cropped had mostly been planted with a few still in a state of fallow.

All plants found were rogued and removed.

During audits, the DPIPWE routinely surveys nearby roadsides and other areas to ensure containment is being achieved. During this audit, no canola plants were found on roadsides.

Download the May 2013 Audit Report

  GM Canola Former Trial Sites Audit Report May 2013   (270Kb)

Summary of the March 2013 Audit Report

The audit occurred from 4 March - 7 March 2013. This was undertaken by DPIPWE staff and staff from Bayer Crop Science. All 53 remaining sites were inspected.

Volunteer canola plants at various stages of development were found at 3 former trialsites.These were different sites to those where canola was found at the last audit.

During the period of this audit most sites were very dry with only a few being irrigatedand with over half of the sites under pasture or a situation which had not involved recent soil disturbance. These can be expected to have dormant canola seed in the soil that will not germinate until soil disturbance takes place.

Those sites that were being cropped mostly had been harvested and were in a state of fallow, with only a few sites cultivated and mostly too dry for canola to germinate.

All of the sites where canola plants were found had just been or were being cropped. Two of them have regularly turned up volunteers every time they are cropped whereas at the other site volunteers have been more sporadic.

All plants found were rogued and removed.

During audits, the DPIPWE routinely surveys nearby roadsides and other areas to ensure containment is being achieved. During this audit, no canola plants were found on roadsides.

Download the March 2013 Audit Report

GM Canola Former Trial Sites Audit Report March 2013 (255 KB)