![The ag minister has issued a directive for the APVMA to complete. File photo. The ag minister has issued a directive for the APVMA to complete. File photo.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5Q2j7ezUfQBfUJsaqK3gfB/a83951b0-0a85-48fc-88e8-035bf1404624.jpg/r0_486_2976_2326_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A number of popular herbicides, insecticides and veterinary medicines are included in the eight products that are the subject of an urgent, government directed Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) review.
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Agriculture minister Murray Watt gave the ministerial directive to order the completion of reviews into the eight chemicals in reaction to last week's Clayton Utz report into the APVMA's performance.
The report found the reviews into the products had been going on for as long as 18 years.
Some of the products, such as paraquat, are banned in other jurisdictions, however the crop protection sector has said that the review process is fit for purpose.
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"It is crucial to note that amongst the varied and widespread matters outlined in the report, the review resoundingly concluded that the agvet approval and registration process continues to maintain stringent regulatory requirements to ensure the safety and efficacy of these important products," said CropLife Australia chief executive Matthew Cossey.
Grain Producers Australia chairman Andrew Weidemann agreed, saying that while the drawn-out process of reviews appeared unwieldy it was a method the APVMA could keep on top of new research.
"The products are constantly under review, they are constantly assessing new information and that is why these things can take time, it shows that these products are being adequately researched rather than not being policed," he said.
The eight chemical compounds under review are the insecticides chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, malathion, fipronil and diazinon, the herbicides diquat and paraquat and the veterinary antibiotic medicine neomycin.
The eight active ingredients are used in a range of registered farm chemical products.
Mr Weidemann said the industry was already moving away from the use of organophosphate insecticides such as chlorpyrifos and diazinon after discussions found it was likely Australia would follow the lead of other major grain producers and ban the products, but said the loss of paraquat and diquat suddenly would hurt production.
"Paraquat and diquat are definitely the major two from the grain grower perspective," he said.
"Official weed management bodies such as WeedSmart recommend the use of paraquat as a key tool in managing herbicide resistance."
"We don't have a lot of other broad spectrum, knockdown herbicide options, so we'd definitely be uncomfortable if paraquat was removed without a sound scientific reason.
"The product has been banned elsewhere but Australian conditions are vastly different and I know Australian farmers are uncomfortable at the thought of having the regulations of other jurisdictions influence what happens here, whether by increasing the pressure for reviews or by the imposition of strict maximum residue limits for our exports."
"Growers definitely don't want to be exposing themselves to products that are unsafe but we also don't want to see good chemistry taken off the shelves without sound evidence."