Pesticides Regulatory Newsletter, November 2022

• Directors update: Dr Gary Dorr and Mr Hugh Dawick
• APVMA performance update
• Visit to Mackay
• New product registrations
• Chemical review update
• Useful information for industry
• Upcoming Christmas shutdown

Directors update: Dr Gary Dorr and Mr Hugh Dawick

Welcome to the November 2022 edition of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s (APVMA) Pesticides Regulatory Newsletter. This quarter we welcome back Mr Hugh Dawick from extended leave and thank Mr Rod Edmundson and Mr Cameron Dalgleish, who were acting in the role of Director while Mr Dawick was on leave.  

In this edition we have included information on a range of regulatory topics, including an update on our recent visit to sugarcane farms in Mackay; Pesticides Team timeframe performance; as well as useful information for industry on compatibility statements and uploading attachments in the E-label portal.

We continue to encourage applicants to participate in APVMA stakeholder meetings, which are a valuable forum for both industry and the APVMA Pesticides Team to discuss current and future applications, priorities, and to work through any concerns. These meetings can be organised through your Case Manager by emailing casemanagement@apvma.gov.au.

If you have any suggestions or requests for future editions of the APVMA’s Pesticides Regulatory Newsletter, please send them through to communications@apvma.gov.au.

Please reach out to any member of the Pesticides Team if you require assistance related to the registration of pesticides.

Back to top

APVMA performance update

The Pesticides Team delivered another quarter of sustained timeframe performance in the June quarter 2022.

We completed:

• 98.9% of total pesticide product applications within timeframe
• 96.9% of pesticide product major applications within timeframe
• 100% of pesticide product minor (non-technical) applications within timeframe.

The full performance report for the June quarter 2022 is available on our website.

Back to top

Visit to Mackay

Members of the Pesticides Team recently travelled to Mackay to visit sugarcane farms and meet with industry stakeholders. 

During our visit, we learnt more about how timing restrictions and other label restraints can impact the sugarcane industry and were able to educate stakeholders on how the APVMA’s scientific assessments underpin the statements on product labels. 

Thank you to the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for helping facilitate the visit and providing us with the opportunity to gain perspectives from a wide range of stakeholders within the sugarcane industry.

Back to top

New product registrations

The APVMA publishes a fortnightly Gazette, which includes information about new product registrations and variations to currently registered particulars or conditions for registration.

The following table lists the new registrations of agricultural chemical products, based on new active constituents, published in the Gazette to date for FY 2021–22 and not included in previous newsletters.

Registration of agricultural chemicals products, including approval of new active constituents, requires consultation prior to registration. Please see the public consultation section on our website for consultation opportunities.

Back to top

Chemical review update

In October 2022, the APVMA published the final regulatory decision (FRD) for the reconsideration of procymidone, a fungicide used for the control of fungal diseases in various broadacre and horticultural crops, and ornamental plants.

In summary, the FRD for procymidone has:

1. retained procymidone as a safe and effective fungicide for use by Australian broadacre, horticulture and ornamental plant industries
2. affirmed the active constituent approval
3. varied and affirmed the product registrations and label approvals with:

• the deletion of instructions for use on faba beans and navy beans due to insufficient data to quantify the potential residues in treated crops and the potential risk to trade
• restriction of uses on potatoes, limiting the use to 4 applications per crop and increasing the harvest withholding period from 9 days to 21 days to align with the supporting data held by the APVMA
• the removal of state-based restrictions on use
• additional spray-drift restraints to protect the safety of people, animals and the environment
• other minor label updates to make the instructions contemporary.

The APVMA has determined, under section 81(3) of the Agvet Code, that products bearing the previously approved labels may be supplied for 2 years from the date of the decision. After the 2-year phase-out period ends products must be supplied with a new approved label. Products bearing the previous label approval numbers must not be supplied after 11 October 2024.

More information about the procymidone FRD is available on our website. Enquiries about the FRD can be directed to enquiries@apvma.gov.au.

Back to top

Useful information for industry

In this edition, we have included useful information about compatibility statements in variation and registration applications, and tips on uploading attachments in the E-label portal.

Compatibility statements

When submitting a variation or registration application, registrants are encouraged to remove general compatibility statements (as defined in section 16 of the Agricultural Labelling Code) from the APVMA-approved label. Please note that these general statements may be included on the marketing label.

All products listed in the ‘Compatibility’ section must be registered (at the time of label approval) and should be suitable for mixing with the product.

The following information must continue to appear on the APVMA-approved label:

• Any mandatory mixture with another product. These mandatory mixes are listed in the directions for use table. 
• Incompatibility statements. If it is necessary to warn of specific incompatibility of the product with other products, you must state this in the ‘General instructions’ section.

Our review of the Agricultural Labelling Code, which is currently in progress, will provide greater clarity about the requirements for compatibility statements. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please send these to alcreview@apvma.gov.au.

Uploading attachments in the E-label portal

Applicants are reminded to upload attachments in the E-label portal in either PDF or Microsoft Word format. This enables the proposed label to be more readily accessed during the application evaluation and assists in processing the application within timeframe. Photographs of proposed labels are not acceptable as they cannot be edited.

Back to top

Upcoming Christmas shutdown

The APVMA will be closed for operations from Saturday 24 December 2022 and will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2023. We wish our stakeholders a peaceful and relaxing holiday period.

Back to top