Lettuce - 2019 Vegetable Industry Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP) update

VG16060 Vegetables Agrichemical Pest Management Needs and Priorities.

All information gathered will be used by VG16060 Vegetables Agrichemical Pest Management Needs and Priorities project through AUSVEG (for Hort Innovation) and the Minor use Programme through Hort Innovation, for the update of the Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP), to give strategic direction to the minor use programme investments, and to play a pivotal role in the successful development and delivery of the Plant Industries AgChem Access Priorities for the AgChem Access Priorities Forum.

Increasing access to agricultural chemicals is the focus of the AgChem Access Priorities Forum (Forum), a collaborative process that has been held for the past three years. The forums are funded by plant-based Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) and CropLife Australia. The Forum aims to promote information sharing, industry prioritisation and coinvestment opportunities for supporting applications for AgChem uses. The Forum held in October 2018 was the fourth time the forum has been run and was again successful in facilitating interaction between the RDC’s, users of AgChem technologies and Chemical Companies.

At the Forums, plant-based RDCs, APVMA and commercial chemical registrants come together to deliver a cross-industry agreed list of priority needs and solutions for uses of agricultural chemicals. Each plant-based RDC, in consultation with industry, puts forward the top five pest priorities for which chemical solutions are sought for each crop. Chemical registrants have the opportunity to suggest solutions and comment on options proposed by industry. The Forum facilitates discussion between industry representatives and chemical registrants, where opportunities to improve access to agricultural chemicals can be identified.

This review process provides horticulture industries with sound pesticide options for the future that the industry can pursue for registration with the chemical companies, or minor-use permits with APVMA for clearly identified crop protection needs.

Vegetables industry SARPs was initially undertaken during 2014. Vegetable SARPs process identified diseases, insect pests and weeds of major concern to the vegetable industry. Against these threats, available registered or permitted pesticides, along with non-pesticide solutions, were evaluated for overall suitability in terms of IPM, resistance, residues, withholding period, efficacy, trade, human safety and environmental issues. Where tools were unavailable or unsuitable, the process aimed to identify potential future solutions.

The purpose of the 2019 SARP surveys is to update the vegetable industries priorities outlined in the 2014 SARP and provide comment on priority pests (diseases, insects & weeds). Prioritisation of the major pests into high, moderate and low categories will identify the vegetable industries priorities and help determine the highest priority gaps in the vegetable pest control strategy.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the vegetable research and development levy, and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

For further information please contact the VG16060 Project Coordinator – Agrichemical Pest Management Needs and Priorities, Patrick Arratia at patrick.arratia@ausveg.com