Key outcomes of the APVMA Board of Directors - Meeting APVMA 12, February 2005

CHEMICAL REVIEWS

Carbon Disulfide

In an out-of-session decision on 22 December 2004, the APVMA accepted a request from the registrant to voluntarily cancel the registration of the product Ajax Carbon Disulfide Grain Fumigant Ready-To-Use Liquid (41185).

The Board’s decision provides for:

a. a 6-month phase out period for retail supply and use of the grain fumigant product in accordance with revised instructions for use, and
b. the APVMA to issue a permit relating to the phase out.

1080

The Preliminary Review Findings for products containing 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) were presented. The Board agreed to release the report for public comment for a period of 3 months following some further refinement. It is anticipated that the report will be released during April 2005.

Arsenic Timber Treatments

The Board made its final regulatory decisions and approved the release of the Final Review Report of arsenic timber treatments (copper chrome arsenate and arsenic trioxide). The decisions will require timber treatment facilities to be designed and operated to meet appropriate Australian Standards and prohibit the use of copper chrome arsenate on timber intended for structures such as children’s play equipment, outdoor furniture, patio decking and handrails. In addition, timber treated with copper chrome arsenate for permitted uses must be labelled as such and labels on containers of copper chrome arsenate products must display revised instructions for use.

The review makes no recommendations to remove existing structures constructed from copper chrome arsenate treated timber. This is consistent with the approach already taken in other countries such as the USA and Canada. The APVMA has no jurisdiction over existing structures but will provide all available information to the relevant agencies to assist them in making their own regulatory decisions.

As part of the review, the Board also affirmed the product registrations and label approvals for arsenic trioxide products.

Virginiamycin

The Board made its final decisions on the review of the registration of products containing virginiamycin. Taking into account advice from the Department of Health and Ageing, the APVMA has decided that it is not satisfied that the use of virginiamycin as a growth promotant, or for long-term prophylaxis, would not be likely to have an effect that is harmful to human health. Accordingly, the APVMA cancelled the registrations and label approvals of three products that have growth promotion uses.

The APVMA also decided to continue the registration of products containing virginiamycin used to prevent necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens and to prevent lactic acidosis in cattle and sheep, but with revised label instructions that limit re-treatment and duration of use of the antibiotic.

The Board noted that a registrant has commenced proceedings in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to challenge the APVMA’s decision to vary the labels of three of their products.

OTHER OUTCOMES

Cost Recovery

The Board was advised that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry had approved the final draft Cost Recovery Impact Statement. Directors were further advised that the fees legislation is scheduled for introduction to Parliament in the February - March 2005 sittings.

Minor Use Reform

The Board considered detailed proposals for minor use reform and endorsed the pursuit of five key strategies, namely:

· enhancing the approval of more minor uses on product labels
· establishment of an external Minor Use and Specialty Crops Development Unit to prioritise and coordinate minor use trial work and submissions to the APVMA
· enhancing the availability of new and reduced-risk chemistry
· enhancing international collaboration, and
· improving communication with stakeholders.

The Board asked for the proposals to be refined in consultation with the Minor Use Taskforce comprising DAFF, APVMA, the States and Territories, farming groups and chemical industry representatives.

Appointment of Community Consultative Committee Members

As part of the normal membership rotation, approximately half of the Committee’s positions become vacant every 18 months. The Board accepted recommendations to fill three vacant positions by appointing Mr Don Sutherland, Mr Peter Cone and re-appointing Mr Sam Beechey. Mr Sutherland and Mr Beechey were appointed for their experience in worker safety and training. Mr Cone was appointed for his experience in agricultural production.

Community Consultative Committee Review of Chemical Review Processes

The Board noted the Committee’s recommendations for improving the effectiveness and transparency of the review program and endorsed the proposed APVMA responses.

Board meeting schedule for 2005

The Board confirmed its meeting schedule for 2005 as follows:

APVMA12 Friday 25 February 2005 Northern Tasmania
APVMA13 Thursday 7 April 2005 Canberra
APVMA14 Thursday 16 June 2005 Canberra
APVMA15 Thursday 11 August 2005 Canberra
APVMA16 Friday 7 October 2005 Goulburn Valley / Shepparton
APVMA17 Thursday 1 December 2005 Canberra