• Apiarists, other chemical users and Varroa mite
• Commercial Operator Licence survey
• What is soil fumigation?
• Commercial manufacture of perishable pindone baits
• Don’t forget to record your animal treatments
• Pest animal bait use during lambing season
• Changes for table grape growers

Due to the current Varroa mite outbreak in NSW, apiarists are experiencing a challenging time. It is critical that apiarists and other chemical users do not contribute to this situation by inappropriately using agricultural chemicals.

Other chemical users can have a negative impact on apiarists if they do not minimise the risks their chemical use can pose to bees. Insecticides can pose a significant risk to bees, and there are simple steps that chemical users can take to address this risk.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) assesses the risks that a chemical may pose to off target species during the registration process. As a result of their assessment, they may include statements on product labels that if followed minimise the risks to bees and other pollinators.

These statements can be found in various sections of the label including the ‘Restraints’ and ‘Protection of Livestock’ sections and all chemical users are strongly encouraged to follow these statements, many of which are legally enforceable. 

For more information on reducing the risks of pesticide use to bees please visit pesticides and honey bee poisioning.

Apiarists are also reminded not to illegally import or use unregistered chemicals.

Australia is the only major honey producer free of Varroa mite. Given Varroa mite is present in all other major honey producing countries, there are a variety of chemicals available in those countries for the control of Varroa mite. It is critical that apiarists do not illegally import chemicals from other countries for use within Australia as the risks of using them in an Australian context have not been assessed. For example, a Maximum Residue Limit (the maximum amount of a chemical permitted to be found in commodities) may not be set for honey within Australia for the chemical, so use of these products may result in contaminated honey. 

The inappropriate use of illegally imported chemicals may also result in mites rapidly building resistance to the chemicals, which would severely hamper eradication efforts.

Even the use of so-called ‘natural’ products can cause issues. Contaminants such as heavy metals may be present in these products and unless the product has been through the APVMA registration processes then the levels of these contaminants may be entirely unacceptable.

A bedrock principle of the legal framework governing agvet chemical use throughout Australia is that only chemicals that have been registered by the APVMA can be used. Apiarists must not take steps that only create greater risk and complexity in the current response.

Learn more about the risk associated with use of unregistered chemicals here. 

Agriculture Victoria recently emailed a survey to Commercial Operator Licence (COL) holders. The survey asks COL holders for information about the types of chemicals they use, their staff numbers and the training levels of their staff. The survey was voluntary and did not collect personal information.

The last survey of COL holders was conducted about 20 years ago. Since this time, changes are likely to have occurred in the structure and activities of commercial spraying businesses in Victoria.

The survey will provide valuable information to help Agriculture Victoria review the current licence application process, licence categories and associated training requirements. The survey will also allow Agriculture Victoria to assess COL holders chemical use practices against a national agreement on the minimum training and licensing requirements for occupational users of agricultural chemicals.

Agriculture Victoria would like to thank those who have taken the time to complete the survey. The survey results will hopefully provide a more informed review of current practices to better plan for the future.

For further information please contact Ben Roddy, Senior Biosecurity Officer, T: 0400 654 501; email: ben.roddy@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Soil fumigation plays an important role in Victoria’s agricultural production systems. Soil fumigants are pesticides that when applied turn into a gas, which passes through the soil and controls pests. Fumigants may be used to a wide variety of pests such as nematodes, fungi, bacteria, insects or weeds.

Soil fumigants are commonly either classified Schedule 6 (Poison) or Schedule 7 (Dangerous Poison) chemicals. Use of soil fumigants may pose significant risks if they are used incorrectly. Some of the current registered active constituents include metham sodium (S6); methyl bromide (S7); and chloropicrin (S7).

Incorrect use of a soil fumigant may cause the gas to impact off target areas. This could then impact human health and safety of the general public, such as neighbouring residents, and the environment.

Following label instructions for managing the treated area after a soil fumigant is used is critical. Examples of instructions may include a requirement to compact soil via rolling and irrigating treated soil so that the risk of the gas escaping the treated soil is minimised.

Produce with unacceptable chemical residues poses risks when sold for human consumption or fed to animals.

It is important to understand the risks associated with the use of soil fumigant chemicals and follow all the label directions.

To use any S7 chemicals within Victoria, you must hold a valid Agricultural Chemical Users Permit (ACUP), however you are also required to hold an ACUP if you use metham sodium. All contractors must hold a Commercial Operators Licence (COL) to legalise the use of any agricultural chemical, including soil fumigants. For further information on the use of chemicals, please visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

A recent investigation has raised concerns about the manufacture and sale of perishable pindone baits.

Pindone baits can be an effective part of integrated pest control for rabbits when combined with other techniques like warren or harbour destruction. Pindone is available as a shelf stable bait or as a concentrate.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) have classified pindone concentrate as a restricted chemical product. Due to the hazardous nature of the chemical product, it can only be supplied to people authorised by Agriculture Victoria.

In Victoria, there are two forms of authorisation for the use of pindone concentrate:

• an Agricultural Chemical Users Permit (ACUP) with a pindone concentrate endorsement; or
• a Commercial Operators Licence (COL) with vermin (pest animal) destroyer and avicides endorsement.

ACUP holders can purchase the chemical and use it to make baits only for their personal use. The ACUP does not authorise the holder to manufacture and/or supply those baits to others for their use.

Like the ACUP, the vermin destroyer COL does not authorise the holder to manufacture and/or supply those baits to others for their use.

A recent investigation found a COL holder illegally manufacturing pindone baits and supplying them to others. The COL holder did so under the mistaken but genuine belief their authorisation allowed them to do so.

Under the national agvet chemical framework Agriculture Victoria’s role is limited to regulating the use of chemicals, with the APVMA regulating chemical manufacture and supply. This issue has been reported to the APVMA to address as well as being highlighted to other States/Territories for their information.

Drenching your sheep is a common on farm activity, yet the requirement to keep records of animal treatments is often overlooked.

Records are required to be kept for the use of any Animal Health Products. Animal Health Products include:

• chemicals classified as ‘Prescription animal remedy’ (Schedule 4 poisons);
• a hormonal growth promotant; and
• chemicals with a withholding period (WHP) or export slaughter interval (ESI).

These products are commonly used to treat stock (including livestock, fish, bees, birds, etc) used to produce food or used as food by humans. These record keeping requirements apply all producers and records must be made within 48 hours of using the product and kept for 2 years.

A record keeping template for using veterinary chemicals is available on the Agriculture Victoria website. Key things to include are:

• Product trade name
• Species of the animal
• Location of the animal
• Identification number (if known) or description of the animal to distinguish the treated animal from others
• The date the animal was treated 
• Quantity of product used for each treatment

You may also like to include other information such as product batch numbers or invoice numbers (e.g., to prove the purchase of Tri-solfen). Whilst this information is not legally required to be kept it is commonly a requirement of various quality assurance programs.

For more information about animal treatment record keeping please visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

With lambing season upon us, now is an excellent time to remind 1080 and PAPP users of their responsibilities.

1080 (Sodium Fluoroacetate) and PAPP (4-aminopropiophenone) are effective control methods for foxes and wild dogs. Effectiveness is increased when used in conjunction with integrated pest management plans.

The most important thing to note is that users must hold a valid 1080 endorsed Agricultural Chemical Users Permit (ACUP) for both 1080 and PAPP use. Information on how to obtain this authorisation can be found on Agriculture Victoria’s website. 1080 and PAPP products can only be purchased from an accredited retailer.

1080 and PAPP products are required to be used in accordance with the product labels and the ‘Directions for the Use of 1080 and PAPP Pest Animal Bait Products in Victoria’, commonly referred to as the Directions for Use. It is a condition of 1080/PAPP ACUPs that users comply with the Directions for Use.

Under the Directions for Use users are required to do things like:

• transport and store the baits in the original packaging;
• dispose of 1080 and PAPP in an approved manner after the specified time frame for the type of bait used;
• follow all signage requirements;
• make all reasonable efforts to notify direct neighbours of baiting on your property; and
• document the notification.

Details of this and other information can be found in the Directions for Use.

1080 and PAPP users may be subject to audits at any time by Agriculture Victoria. It is important to keep detailed records of your baiting program.

For more information about the Directions for Use of 1080 and PAPP Pest Animal Bait Products in Victoria, please visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

Table grape growers need to be aware of recent changes in the registration of agricultural chemicals for use on their vines. The use of prothiofos (Tokuthion) on table grapes was removed from the label 13 September 2018. This resulted in the removal of the maximum residue limit (MRL) for prothiofos on table grapes from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) standard. It is anticipated that the MRL will also be removed from the Food Standards Code (FSC) September 2022.

Similarly, all products containing methidathion (Suprathion) ceased registration 4 February 2020. All MRLs for methidathion on table grapes have been removed from both standards.

These changes have limited the control options available to growers for the control of mealy bug in table grapes. Whilst in some circumstances the off-label use of other chemicals to control mealy bug may be legal there are still risks that chemical users must manage. For example, off-label use of chemicals increases the risk of harvested produce with residues above the maximum residue limits (MRLs).

Chemical users are reminded that all Schedule 7 chemicals are classified as 'restricted use' chemicals and require an Agricultural Chemical Users Permit (ACUP) when they are used. For example, methomyl (Lannate) is a Schedule 7 insecticide that is used by some table grape growers, and those growers must hold an ACUP.

It is the responsibility of all business owners to ensure that their chemical users are appropriately trained, hold the appropriate permits, and that any chemical residues in the produce they sell are below the relevant MRLs.

Visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/chemicals for information about:

• rules and regulations on the use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals in Victoria
• licence and permit application forms
• agricultural chemical control areas.

For enquiries 136 186 or email chemical.standards@agriculture.vic.gov.au

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