Vision, Mission and Purpose

Vision

To be recognised nationally and internationally as a best-practice regulator of pesticides and veterinary medicines that has the respect and confidence of governments, the community, the rural sector, chemical users and the chemicals industry.

Mission

To protect the health and safety of people, animals and crops, the environment, and trade, and support Australian primary industries through evidence-based, effective and efficient regulation of pesticides and veterinary medicines.

Purpose

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is an Australian government authority responsible for the assessment and registration of pesticides and veterinary medicines and for their regulation up to and including the point of retail sale.

The APVMA administers the National Registration Scheme for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRS) in partnership with the States and Territories and with the active involvement of other Australian government agencies.

Our role is to independently evaluate the safety and performance of chemical products intended for sale, making sure that the health and safety of people, animals and the environment are protected. Only products that meet these high standards are allowed to be supplied. We also do not register products if their use is likely to jeopardise trade or they don't work.

To ensure that only products that meet APVMA requirements are actually supplied, we constantly monitor the market for compliance. The APVMA also reviews older chemicals to make sure that they continue to meet contemporary high standards.

The APVMA's stakeholders include:

• the chemicals industry we regulate
• farmers and farm workers
• the general community
• the Australian, State and Territory governments
• users of agricultural and veterinary chemicals
• other national and international regulators