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THE STATE GOVERNMENT RELEASED A "DAMAGING CHEMICALS LIST" RECENTLY WHICH WOULD GO OVER AND ABOVE THE EXISTING LABEL REQUIREMENTS FOLLOWED BY THE REST OF AUSTRALIA'S FARMING COMMUNITY.

You can download the proposed listing of chemicals by clicking on the underlined link below:
State Government Document Released 01 July 2009 (75KB PDF).

Below is a summary of recent events and CANEGROWERS response to them.



02 July 2009:  STATE GOVERNMENT RELEASES DAMAGING CHEMICALS LIST

Update of Queensland Government plans to regulate chemicals used by sugarcane that are considered to be damaging to the Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland Government has released a document regulating chemical use as part of the Queensland Reef Protection Package. The intent of the regulation is to reduce the runoff of herbicides through amending the Chemical Usage (Agricultural and Veterinary) Control Regulation Bill 199. DOWNLOAD HERE:  State Government Document Released 01 July 2009

The intent is to introduce restrictions in using atrazine, ametryn, hexazinone and diuron in the areas of the Wet Tropics, Burdekin Dry Tropics, and Mackay Whitsunday catchments. The regulations will include specific requirements relating to the use and application of these products over and above the current label conditions. These restrictions are intended to be temporary while Government press APVMA for modern environmental risk assessment on the affected labels.

What the chemical regulations means to CANEGROWERS members

  1. Chemicals targeted include:
    • Atrazine (sugarcane)
    • Diuron (sugarcane)
    • Ametryn (sugarcane)
    • Hexazinone (sugarcane)
    • Tebuthiuron (grazing)
  2. Restrictions only apply in the catchments of:
    • Wet Tropics
    • Burdekin Dry Tropics
    • Mackay Whitsunday
  3. Members using these listed chemicals in the identified catchments will be required to:
    • Hold a Statements of Attainment (i.e. current Chemcert certificate) or be working under the supervision of a person who holds this certification.
    • Obtain the necessary certification (i.e. current Chemcert certificate) by 30 June 2010 which includes
      - RTCC3704A – Prepare and apply chemicals
      - RTC3401A – Control Weeds
      - RTC3705A – Transport, handle and store chemicals
  4. New restrictions on top of the current label will apply to these chemicals whilst the State Government press APVMA for modern environmental risk assessment on the affected labels.


 

Next steps

CANEGROWERS is currently reviewing the documents and have contacted DPI&F and have organised a meeting for Friday 3 July to get a better understanding of regulation intent. CANEGROWERS has contacted the APVMA, Croplife Australia, and various agrichemical providers to get further advice and opinion.

CANEGROWERS will be seeking input from its members and will keep you informed on this matter as it progresses. Further information on the regulation of chemical use and restrictions on chemicals can be found at the CANEGROWERS website.


26 June 2009:  Reef Regulations Sugar Update 26th June 2009

CANEGROWERS has been further assessing the Bill introduced to Parliament during the first week in June.

There have been a number of formal letters directed to Minister Jones and CEO has also met with Minister Robertson on 18th June in respect to this issue. While the State Government continues to promote its willingness and intention to ‘consult widely’ there is no evidence that this is occurring in any structured way. The first ‘stakeholders’ meeting is rumoured to be planned for 15th July.

CANEGROWERS, with support of industry bodies ASMC and BSES has sought meetings with Government and DERM (EPA) technical staff to gain better insight into their approach to the legislation and forthcoming regulations. It has been clear from these meetings that there is limited knowledge within DERM in respect to the effect of current practices, adoption rates of new technologies and the broader industry BMP programs and their associated tools.

CANEGROWERS has strongly expressed the view that the industry does not want to see the adoptions of systems that contradict the current support, goodwill and funding provided through Reef Rescue by the Federal Government.

CANEGROWERS are also concerned that compliance requirements of systems that may be untested or theoretical may cause growers to change current best practice.

Recent actions by CANEGROWERS

1. Sugar Industry including CANEGROWERS, BSES, ASMC, CSR met on 15th June 2009 to discuss Reef Regulations and industry response.

Group agreed that the regulations needed to be:

  • at least cost and least disruption to farming activities,
  • be measurable in actual water quality outcome,
  • adapt to existing BMP’s and,
  • simple to implement

The sugar industry was keen to work together on this matter, as the regulations can affect the entire supply chain. The group agreed a united response was warranted and created a small sugar working group consisting of CANEGROWERS, BSES and ASMC to liaise with DERM on the Bill and proposed regulations.

2. The sugar working group and QFF met with Doug Yuile (DERM) on 19th June 2009. The meeting objective was to better understand the intent of the legislation and regulations and the government’s process, expected outcome and timelines.


 

Discussion focused on:

  • Possible amendments to the Bill
  • Definitions and the wording of the definitions in the Bill
  • Recognition and use of existing BMP’s and management tools to satisfying the conditions of the legislation / regulation but not be considered as the regulation.
  • Management and equity in proposed chemical regulations and APVMA’s jurisdiction
  • Education of DERM and their staff on sugar industry, its BMP and processes.

The sugar working group felt that Doug Yuile had a better appreciation of the sugar industry, its value-chain, current practices, adoption rates of new technologies and the broader industry BMP programs and their associated tools. However the working group weren’t sure how this understanding may be translated into any regulations and thought it important to continue the process and meet with other DERM staff.


 

3. Sugar working group meeting on 22nd June 2009 to collate thoughts and conclusions drawn from meeting on Friday 19th June 2009.

The sugar working group have the view that if the regulations and compliance components makes sense to growers and are not too onerous then industry are more likely to engage. The process going forward requires a strong industry perspective to ensure the tools and regulations being developed are practical and realistic.

Key points:

  • Good opportunity to ensure that the outcomes of the Bill and regulations were influenced by the industry and this should continue.
  • The group recognised that its focus was on the technical components of the legislation / regulation and the political aspects are a separate issue.
  • Topics discussed included
    o The process to make amendments to Bill and regulations
    o Ensuring the definitions used within Bill have appropriate scope
    o Understanding the tools being developed by Government
    o Understanding the thinking behind restricting chemicals and how this affects the APVMA process
    o What resources were available for developing and enforcing regulations
    o Timelines for consultation, legislation and compliance documentation
    o Engagement with Government
    o How Government will measure the success of legislation water quality outcomes
    o Benchmarking process

4. Sugar Industry Technical Group meeting with DERM staff on 23rd June 2009 to provide an industry perspective to the regulations. This was a follow-up meeting from the one held on the 19th June 2009.

  • DERM considered the industry BMP’s and practices useful for the regulations.
  • DERM is working on an early draft of ERMP and how this would be rolled out.
  • DERM indicated that all BMP’s would count towards compliance but would not be the compliance tool.


 

it is important to increase government awareness of the some of the industry tools and considered these useful as a guide when developing the ERMP and nutrient calculator.

Summary

CANEGROWERS recognises that the Government will proceed with regulations and that correctly framed, the impact on both environmental outcomes and productivity could be managed productively. The organisation is very conscious of how the regulations affect its members and the sugar industry value-chain. Currently, due to lack of Government consultation, we have been initiating the discussion between DERM to influence the direction of the regulation as CANEGROWERS does not want to see the adoptions of onerous regulation or systems that contradict the current support, goodwill and funding provided through Reef Rescue by the Federal Government.

For more information:  Matt Kealley CANEGROWERS Senior Manager -Environment