The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is the Australian Government regulator of agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemical products, established in 1993 to centralise the registration of all agvet chemical products into the Australian marketplace.

Our purpose

The APVMA regulates agricultural and veterinary chemicals to protect the health and safety of people, animals and the environment, and to support primary industries, biosecurity and international trade for all Australians.

Our vision

To be a global leader in agricultural and veterinary chemicals regulation for the benefit of Australia.

Our values

The APVMA upholds the Australian Public Service (APS) Values as set out in the Public Service Act 1999:

  • Impartial – apolitical and provide advice that is frank, honest, timely, and based on the best available evidence
  • Committed to service – professional, objective, innovative and efficient
  • Accountable – open and accountable to our stakeholders across the Australian community
  • Respectful – respect all people, including their rights and their heritage
  • Ethical – demonstrate leadership, are trustworthy, and act with integrity
  • Stewardship – build capability and institutional knowledge, and support the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the long-term impacts of what we do

These values are applied through the APVMA values and behaviours.

Our strategic objectives

  1. Being a trusted, transparent and fair regulator
    Trust in the APVMA by the Australian public is critical to maintaining confidence in Australian agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals.
  2. Supporting a contemporary regulatory system
    The APVMA actively works with domestic and international regulatory partners to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Australian regulatory system.
  3. Building regulatory foresight capability
    Foresight is a critical part of our responsibility as a regulator. Foresight uses inputs from horizon scanning to understand how an issue or a system could evolve and the challenges and opportunities that may arise. The APVMA is committed to being proactive in meeting Australia’s future regulatory needs as they evolve. The APVMA will identify and implement ways of working and building our capability to support innovation within the agvet chemical sector and respond to Australia’s future regulatory needs.
  4. Striving for operational excellence
    The APVMA plays a critical role in ensuring Australians have access to safe and effective agvet chemicals. APVMA drives ongoing enhancement in the processes involved in effective regulation. This will ensure the regulatory process does not pose an undue burden on the Australian agvet chemical sector.
  5. Attracting, developing and retaining talented people
    Our people are critical to the delivery of an efficient and effective agvet chemical regulatory system.

View the APVMA Strategic and Corporate Plans

Our role

For an agvet chemical product to legally be manufactured, imported, supplied, sold, or used in Australia, it must be registered by the APVMA – unless exempt by the Agvet Code. Our registration process involves scientifically evaluating the safety and efficacy (effectiveness) of a product to protect Australia's trade and the health and safety of people, animals, and the environment.

The APVMA regulates agvet products up to – and including – the point of retail sale.

We also monitor and enforce compliance with the Agvet Code and other legislation we administer.

Learn more about the APVMA and the work we do in the An introduction to the APVMA video below.