Tasmanian farmers today welcomed federal Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce’s draft legislation designed to reduce red tape around the use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals on Australian farms.
The proposed Bill would remove the requirement for agvet chemical re-approval and re-registration and introduce simple reforms to reduce red tape and improve efficiency, like providing for less frequent registration renewals.
It would also improve the ability of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to secure information about the safety of chemicals supplied in the market and for it to provide farmers with access to information about approvals and registration.
However, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) today suggested that new import testing standards should be applied, aimed at detecting imported produce that includes chemicals banned in Australia or not generally in use here.
“We need a system that both promotes the responsible use of chemicals and allows farmers to operate without unnecessary additional time and cost imposts,” TFGA chief executive Jan Davis said.
“We need that regime at both the federal and state level, but it has been an ongoing battle. Hopefully, the federal legislation will be mirrored here.”
Through 2012 and 2013 the TFGA was engaged in protracted and time-consuming negotiations with the state government over proposed changes to its regulations concerning the use of agricultural chemicals.
Details of the draft federal legislation are on the Department of Agriculture website.
TFGA chief executive Jan Davis
