Pesticide Permits & Restrictions

Increased scrutiny of pesticide use has led to the APVMA reviewing a number of commonly used herbicides. Following is a summary of recent reviews and alterations as at April 2012. Diuron Suspension in place until 30 November 2012 for the following uses: – Adjacent to buildings – Roadways – Waterways – Fencelines – Non-crop situations

Continued registration for use in: – Wheat – Barley – Oats – Triticale – Cereal rye – Lupins – Established Lucerne – Summer fallows

The following restrictions now apply to the above uses of Diuron: – Not to be used where slope exceeds 3% – Maximum application of 1.8 kg/ha per year – Not to be used within 20 m of a downslope water body, without a 5 m vegetation buffer – Not to be used where non-target vegetation exists within 130 m downwind – Only to be applied using coarse droplets

Dimethoate Dimethoate permit is suspended in a range of food crops.

Label registrations remain for use in: – Cereals – Canola – Pastures

Atrazine A review of Atrazine commenced in 1995 and was completed in 2008.

The final report concluded that: • No major toxicological concerns and no undue hazard for most users • Some concern for impact on aquatic fauna, particularly frogs

Majority of current use patterns are likely to remain, with the possibility of future constraints to minimise runoff into waterways.