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APVMA paraquat, diquat decision delayed until Q4

Grain Central January 14, 2025

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THE AUSTRALIAN Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has further revised its timeframes for the publication of a final decision on paraquat and diquat, now expected in the final rather than the second quarter of 2025.

Public consultation for the proposed regulatory decision closed on October 29, and a final decision was initially expected to be released this month.

In November, APVMA chief executive officer Scott Hansen told the Federal Parliament’s Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee that a decision was now expected “midway through” 2025.

In a statement released last month, the APVMA said the move to further delay publication of the final regulatory decisions was due to the “high volume of submissions, 168 in total, received during the public consultation process.

“The APVMA is committed to undertaking a rigorous evidence-based review process, and must consider all relevant information before delivering a final regulatory decision,” the statement said.

“As a result, timeframes have been extended so that we can appropriately consider and analyse the large volume of submissions and new data.

“The APVMA thanks everyone who engaged constructively during the consultation period, particularly those who provided new information through their submissions.”

In response, Grain Producers Australia welcomed the APVMA’s announcement of the extended timeframe.

GPA southern grower director and RD&E spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said it was important for the national regulator to take the extra time needed to ensure the final decision was right, based on sound science and evidence balanced with practical needs of sustainable grain production.

GPA commended and acknowledged the many growers who invested the time to make direct submissions to help inform the review.

The industry body and its state members received overwhelming feedback from grain producers throughout Australia on the critical role diquat and paraquat play in modern sustainable crop production.

Alongside this feedback, the GPA also worked closely with the Grains Research and Development Corporation to engage a leading environmental scientist who completed an expert review into the methods used by the APVMA in assessing possible risks to birds and mammals.

This new data, based on Australian species and more realistic use scenarios, was provided to the APVMA, and will provide a strong basis for the authority to refine its bird and mammal risk assessments in reaching final decisions.

 

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