THE BRAZILIAN government and a number of agriculture-related associations are expected to challenge a Brazilian federal judge’s ruling on August 6 suspending the use of the broad-spectrum herbicide, glyphosate.

The decision, which was based on human health concerns, also applies to the insecticide abamectin and the fungicide thiram.

The order will become permanent within 30 days unless it is overturned.

Brazil is the world’s largest soybean producer with the vast majority of the crop containing Monsanto’s Roundup Ready trait which allows the widespread application of glyphosate for in-crop weed control.

In a statement, Australia’s national regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), said it was currently consulting with its regulatory counterpart in Brazil, Anvisa, to obtain information relating to the decision.

The APVMA’s current position is that, following a 2015 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) assessment which classified glyphosate in a group of chemicals that is ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’, the APVMA considered the case against glyphosate and found no grounds to place it under formal reconsideration.

The APVMA says glyphosate is registered for use in Australia and APVMA approved products containing glyphosate can continue to be used safely according to label directions.

In another recent court ruling, on August 10 a jury in the San Francisco Superior Court of California found Monsanto liable in a lawsuit filed by a man who alleged that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based products caused his cancer.

It is reported that Monsanto will appeal this decision.

Monsanto is now a unit of German-based Bayer AG, following a $62.5 billion takeover.