Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Agriculture and land
  3. Farming, food and rural support
  4. Biotechnology
  5. International Statement on Low Level Presence

Sidebar first - Farming

  • Biotechnology
    • Biotechnology reports, articles, brochures and factsheets
    • International Statement on Low Level Presence
    • Joint Statement on Innovative Agricultural Production Technologies, particularly Plant Biotechnologies
    • Regulatory framework in Australia
    • Useful links
    • International Statement on Agricultural Applications of Precision Biotechnology
    • Biotechnology and agriculture in Australia: policy snapshot

International Statement on Low Level Presence

  1. ​​The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently indicated that global agricultural production would need to increase by 70 percent by 2050 in order to meet the rising international food demand. However, significant constraints, such as limited access to arable land and fresh water will affect countries’ ability to increase production. Given this reality, the increase in agriculture production would need to come from an increase in productivity. To this regard, biotechnology is going to play a critical role.

  2. In addition to helping address food security challenges, biotechnology would assist in mitigating climate change impacts by, for example, supporting agricultural practices that could improve sustainable and efficient agriculture.

  3. Today, the number and complexity of genetically engineered crops being developed and cultivated worldwide is increasing annually. This situation threatens to increase the number of asynchronous and asymmetric approvals worldwide and, consequently, increase the risk of trade disruptions resulting from the low level presence (LLP) of unapproved events in commercial channels. Reducing asynchronous approvals is the most effective way of reducing trade disruptions due to LLP. However, there is an immediate need to address the risk to trade arising from LLP occurrences, a risk that impacts importing and exporting countries alike, and global food security in general.

  4. Recognizing the need for action, we, importing and exporting countries, have decided to discuss the issue of LLP; exchange information on its origin and potential implications on the agricultural trading system; and begin the development of an approach or set of approaches to manage LLP internationally.

  5. We recognize the importance of developing practical approaches for the management of LLP that are science–based, predictable and transparent, and that will encourage the use of international science–based guidelines on LLP, such as the Codex Alimentarius Annex 3: Food Safety Assessment in Situations of Low–Level Presence of Recombinant–DNA Plant Material in Food.

    Therefore, we, importing and exporting countries have decided to:

  6. We recognize that the approaches could be implemented on a voluntary basis by countries.

  7. Work collaboratively on the issue of LLP to facilitate international trade of agriculture commodities by developing practical approaches, designed to address LLP globally;

  8. Define, for the purpose of this initiative, LLP for food as low levels of recombinant DNA plant materials that have passed a food safety assessment according to the Codex Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant–DNA Plants (CAC/GL 45–2003) in one or more countries, but may on occasion be present in food in importing countries in which the food safety of the relevant recombinant–DNA plants has not been determined;

  9. Work to ensure that the approaches include both food and feed;

  10. Continue to work collaboratively to address the overarching problem of asynchronous approvals, while working to mitigate the impact of LLP situations;

  11. Work collaboratively to address the risk of trade disruptions resulting from LLP in order to facilitate international trade of agriculture commodities by developing an approach or approaches, designed to facilitate the management of LLP globally;

  12. Recognize that LLP of unapproved seed in commercial channels is also a challenge to seed trade and that it also requires collaborative efforts to address. Further collaborative efforts on seed through this initiative should be informed by the work being currently undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in this area;

  13. Assure that these practical approaches do not compromise human, animal, and plant health and safety;

  14. Facilitate the timely and continued exchange of information on domestic policies related to LLP; and

  15. Continue to implement the International Workplan on Low Level Presence which structures our collaborative actions leading to the development of practical approaches to reduce international trade risks related to LLP, with a view to have Ministers considering the endorsement of an approach or a set of approaches designed to facilitate the global management of LLP.

Vancouver, Canada, March 22, 2012

List of countries endorsing the International Statement on Low Level Presence

Australia
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Mexico
Paraguay
Philippines
Russia
United States
Uruguay
Vietnam

Last update: August 31, 2012

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Other format

This information is also available in the following format:

  • International Statement on Low Level Presence PDF​PDF Icon [32.8 KB, 3 pages]
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 04 November 2019

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram