The Second Canberra Bacillus thuringiensis Meeting was held in the Manning Clark lecture theatre complex at the Australian National University from 21st to 23rd September 1993. The Meeting was organised by the CSIRO Division of Entomology with financial support from R&D Corporations (CRDC, RIRDC), AIDAB. The British Council and 11 Bt production and distribution companies. It was attended by 120 registrants. including 29 from 10 other countries in Asia, Europe. New Zealand and North America. The registrants were drawn from research institutions, universities, commercial interests, regulatory bodies. and R&D Corporations. The opening address by Professor B.A. Federici. University of California Riverside. provided a global view of knowledge of Bacillus thuri.ngiensis (Bt) and its various uses and opportunities for expansion of those uses. The 19 invited papers. 13 contributed papers and 13 posters explored details of the mode of action of Bt toxins, resistance to Bt toxins, novel toxins, production and application technologies. use of Bt genes in transgenic organisms, and conventional spray usage of Bt. Bt in transgenic plants. the social and environmental impact of Bt. and regulation of Bt products were the subject of extended discussion forums.