Coulton encourages farmer input into Diuron review
25-August-2011
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has expressed concern over the future of the broad spectrum herbicide Diuron.
Diuron has been under review by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority APVMA to determine potential environmental and human health effects, specifically the effects to the marine environment through run-off.
“Diuron is one of the most effective herbicide used in broad acre farming,” Mr Coulton said. “Farmers throughout the Parkes electorate use Diuron to eliminate weeds in cotton and broadacre fallows. Diuron is proving very effective in handling glyphosate resistant weeds and hard to kill weeds like Fleabane.”
“To have a restriction on or even worse, a full suspension of this chemical would have detrimental effects to the yield capabilities of crops across the country.”
Mr Coulton said recommendations from the APVMA to restrict the use of Diuron to less that 160 grams of active constituent per hectare (ac/ha) will have negative impacts on weed control and farming practices.
“Restricting the amount of Diuron to less than 160g ac/ha in crops such as cotton, will mean the chemical will lose its effectiveness.”
The APVMA is inviting industry groups and individual users to make submissions regarding Diuron. Mr Coulton is encouraging local farmers and agronomists to make a submission to the APVMA to express the importance of this chemical to broadacre farming.
The closing date for submissions is 30 September 2011. Submissions can be emailed, faxed or posted to:
Diuron Chemical Review
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
PO Box 6182
Kingston ACT 2604
Fax: (02) 6210 4776
Email: chemicalreview@apvma.gov.au