ZP50 products require new stewardship training course completion

During the height of the 2021 mouse plague, an industry permit was issued to Grain Producers Australia (GPA) by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (PER90799), allowing growers access to ZP50 mouse bait.

This new mouse control option resulted from research collaboration between the CSIRO, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Growers and the GPA also provided practical input into these scientific processes through the National Mouse Management Group.

Some farm chemical manufacturing companies were included on the GPA permit, enabling a range of ZP50 products to be legally manufactured and sold, benefitting growers throughout Australia.

Expert analysis by GPA suggests the potential economic impact of these improved mouse controls provided by these ZP50 products, via the GPA permit, was valued at about $1 billion - based on calculations for known potential product application on wheat crops only, up to May, 2022.

With this permit due to expire in October, 2022, GPA applied for an extension to ensure growers can continue accessing this important mouse control option in their businesses.

As part of the permit extension approvals processes, the APVMA requested new training and reporting requirements be put in place, to provide them with evidence of users complying with the permit conditions.

In response to the APVMA's requests, GPA has now implemented these processes for growers and users to access - in the online GPA training platform - allowing a one-year extension of the permit.

From January 1, growers and applicators will need to complete the new stewardship training course, and meet these reporting requirement to purchase the various ZP50 products.

These services are being provided free of charge, with costs absorbed by GPA as part of our continued commitment to support stewardship training and best-practice application of pesticides.

This also forms part of GPA's leadership and strategic aims, working with other industry stakeholders, to support initiatives and innovations that help boost grower productivity and sustainability.

Most importantly, these processes respond to the APVMA's concerns about user compliance with conditions on the current permit, that's been in place since May, 2021.

These concerns centre on monitoring mouse numbers and non-target safety, as well as timing of application for ZP50 products.

This new training and reporting will provide the APVMA with evidence of user knowledge and compliance, as part of approving the one-year permit extension.

These programs were purposefully designed in collaboration with key stakeholders and experts, to ensure they are not onerous for growers and applicators.

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The online training is a combination of videos, text and links to access further reading material.

It also includes short quizzes to test user understanding of the course content.

A certificate will be provided after the training course is completed, which can be used to allow the purchase of products supplied under APVMApPermit (PER90799).

A PDF digital certificate can be downloaded and saved onto a smartphone, or a printed copy can be produced.

These new processes will not only help satisfy the APVMA's concerns, they'll also help to improve grower and user practices on the ground, to support productivity and sustainability outcomes.

As we've seen recently with major spray drift issues causing serious damage to cotton crops on the Darling Downs, in Queensland, Australian growers all need to continually lift our standards and improve outcomes, to maintain community trust and safeguard access to these vitally important crop protection tools.