Australian agriculture is facing growing biosecurity risks as diseases and pests affecting crops and the natural environment increase in response to changing weather patterns and climate change. CropLife Australia says farmers and environmental land managers are being denied timely access to new crop protection products because of delays in regulatory assessments by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
CropLife Australia Chief Executive Officer Matthew Cossey said recent reports of widespread disease in South Australia’s wheat crop highlighted the consequences of delays in approving new crop protection products.
“Reports over the weekend of unseasonably widespread disease outbreaks in South Australia’s wheat crop highlight the real-world consequences of the APVMA’s delays in assessment of new crucial crop protection products,” said Cossey.
Cossey said the APVMA’s latest quarterly report showed fewer than half of major agricultural chemical applications were being approved within the required timeframes.
“The APVMA’s own recent quarterly report stated that fewer than one in two approvals for major agricultural chemical applications are completed on time,” he continued.
CropLife Australia said this application category covers new crop protection technologies and uses that help farmers manage plant diseases in winter crops and pests across Australia’s plant industries.
“Products that are already available to farmers and environmental land managers in the US, Canada and several other countries, and should already be available to Australian farmers this season, are still sitting offshore waiting upon the APVMA. Their on-time performance is holding one arm behind the backs of Australian farmers as they fight the destruction caused by pests, weeds and diseases,” he said.
Cossey said reports from scientists describing the current stripe rust outbreak in South Australia as unusually early reinforced the need for timely access to new crop protection tools.
“Australian scientists are saying the current Stripe Rust outbreak in South Australia is ‘incredibly early’ and of concern. This is truly heart-breaking with farmers looking to consolidate following last year’s drought conditions in SA.
“The fact that these conditions mean this season’s crops are also vulnerable to other plant diseases, like powdery mildew, means the failure of our inefficient and expensive regulator has left our farmers exposed to loss when they should be capitalising on a finally getting some good rain,” said Cossey.
CropLife Australia said climate change is increasing the threat from new pests, weeds and diseases, while also accelerating resistance to existing crop protection tools. As seasonal conditions become less predictable, the organisation said timely access to new technologies can be critical to preventing localised pest incursions from becoming widespread outbreaks.
“Australian farmers are doing the heavy lifting to manage growing risks from climate change. They need a regulator that can respond with the same urgency and efficiency in order to protect their crops, safeguard our food supply and international competitiveness as well as ensure we do not have a large-scale serious and uncontrollable biosecurity incident,” concluded Cossey.
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