Australia's sustainable and environmentally conscious cropping systems are under direct threat from a growing number of regulatory decisions threatening to remove key tools from Australian farmers' toolboxes.
The preliminary proposals released yesterday, as part of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Chemical Authority's (APVMA) long-term review of key herbicides paraquat and diquat, put the practice of conservation tillage under threat.
Grain Producers Australia RD&E spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said the future of these practices employed to protect the environment are on the line if critical tools, such as paraquat and diqaut, are removed from the toolbox.
"Australian grain producers have just welcomed an important legal decision relating to glyphosate, a key herbicide underpinning no-till farming and now we're faced with this new issue as the gravity of the APVMA's preliminary findings hit home for farmers around the county," he said.
"Glyphosate is the backbone of the production systems that grow our grain crops, however the reality is, glyphosate-resistant weeds are a major problem on many thousands of Australian farms.
"To control these hard-to-control weeds, or prevent the evolution of weed resistance, Australian farmers depend on paraquat and diquat herbicides."
Mr Weidemann says APVMA's proposed restrictions on these key herbicides will render them useless on most Australian farm, and will consequently speed up the development of herbicide resistance and undermine sustainable production.
"The proposal to ban most in-crop uses will also make it very challenging to harvest certain crops.
"This will leave some farmers with no viable options and leave many others reverting to past practices, some of which would be a step backward in terms of environmental impact and food exports."
GPA interim chief executive Pete Arkle said we need a strong independent APVMA, that draws on quality Australian and global science, and practical insights from Australian growers.
“Decisions to regulate chemical use need to consider how these tools can be safely used in ways to enhance production, while ensuring the safety of the environment, farmers and farm workers, and the food we produce,” Mr Arkle said.
"We will be sitting down with APVMA to discuss sustainable ways to ensure farmers can retain access to the key tools on which their production systems depend.
"In the case of paraquat and diquat, the sooner this discussion can be had, the better, because many farmers are deeply concerned their sustainable futures are on the line."
