This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

Australia horticulture was often restricted in its production due to the limitations imposed by diseases, insects and weeds. Legal access to appropriate pesticides was limited in some crops and non-existent in others.

The project ‘AH04009 – Coordination of minor-use permits for horticulture’ was conducted from October 2004 to June 2007 to assist horticultural industries gain access to the pesticides necessary for sustainable production by:

• Critically assessing the pesticide uses and requirements of horticultural industries
• Developing a systematic approach to facilitate access to minor use permits across all horticulture industries
• Managing research projects to gather data to support permit requests
• Receive quicker permit approvals for horticultural industries through the APVMA
• Conduct a Strategic Agrichemical Review Process to plan for future pesticide requirements

The project assisted horticultural industries access pesticides necessary for sustainable production. This involved extensive consultation with stakeholders and as a result links were strengthened between growers, industry associations, consultants, the retail network, agrichemical manufacturers and the APVMA.

Project selection, data generation and the permit application process was reviewed and refined to improve the information supplied to APVMA to ensure the evaluation process was as efficient as possible. Where possible, existing permits for the same pesticide were consolidated across all horticultural industries to further improve the permit process.

Many horticultural industries were involved in the Strategic Agrichemical Review Process to analyse their current and future pesticide requirements. SARP critically assessed disease, insect and weed problems against existing pesticides. Any ‘gaps’ in the control options at that point in time, were identified along with any new potential plant pests. The industry, along with key experts worked on developing solutions to these ‘pest management gaps’, selecting appropriate pesticides. SARP allowed for an improved priority setting process for minor use requests and therefore investments by each industry. SARP improved the focus and discussions with chemical companies so investments could work in partnership, improving returns for both parties.

Although the project was already completed, discussions with agrochemical companies and the APVMA were continuing, in order to transfer as many minor-use permits as possible to registered use on pesticide labels.

The project was reviewed by Scholefield Robinson Horticultural Services in April 2007 to determine the value to horticulture. SRHS recommended that the project was successful and should continue.

The recommendations from this review were included in the follow-on project, ‘MT07029 - Managing pesticide access in horticulture’.