New Stock Medicines Regulation

While the Farm Chemicals group sits in Plant Biosecurity and Product Integrity, we work across all areas of NSW DPI. Some of our responsibilities include fertilisers, pesticides, stock foods and stock medicines.

On 1 September 2019, the Stock Medicines Regulation 2010 was repealed and the Stock Medicines Regulation 2019 was activated. Changes to the 2010 regulations are minor. They relate to changing the term inspector to authorised officer and removing a number of penalty notices.

Grazing failed cotton crops is not OK

As the drought persists and livestock producers are desperate for feed, producers are again asking, can I graze a failed cotton crop, or cut it for fodder?

In 2018, Australian livestock industries and the cotton industry made a new agreement that allows feeding of cotton gin trash to livestock.  A number of conditions apply. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority then issued a permit, in line with the industry agreement, which also allows feeding of cotton gin trash contrary to label instructions, which would otherwise be a breach of the Pesticides Act 1999.

The permit and the agreement do not allow grazing or cutting failed cotton crops or any other infield trash for fodder. The risk of chemicals, applied to any crop that fails, remaining in the plant is high. Stressed or dying crops are unable to metabolise residues of chemicals applied to the crop in the same manner as a healthy crop that is able to grow through to maturity.

Trade advice notices

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) issue trade advice notices for public consultation if they are proposing to register a product that may not be readily accepted by some international markets.

Currently the APVMA are consulting on two products proposed for registration, which close on 5 December 2019.

1. Flubendazole in the product Flubenol 50 mg/g Oral Premix in Chickens and Pigs

2. EXZOLT Fluralaner Oral Solution for chickens

Trade advice notices also provide quite a good summary of information relating to products that are about to be registered.

Trade advice notices, and other issues that the APVMA are seeking public comment on, are published at https://apvma.gov.au/news-and-publications/public-consultations

Prepared by

Jenene Kidston
Technical Specialist Farm Chemicals
Biosecurity and Food Safety |NSW Department of Primary Industries
Email: jenene.kidston@dpi.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 6391 3625