Rural communities asked for comment on changes to spraying regulations

14/1/98

Rural communities have been invited to comment on recommended changes to agricultural chemical spraying regulations and practices which take into account the impact of spraying on new diversified industries such as aquaculture and horticulture.

Primary Industry Minister Monty House said the final report of the Agricultural Chemical Spraying Review Committee, chaired by Murray Criddle MLC, was available for public comment until February 27.

Mr House said the review looked at the Aerial Spraying Control Act and the Agricultural and Related Resources Protection (Spraying Restrictions) Regulations and how they applied to the diversification of agriculture in Western Australia.

The report made 13 key recommendations based on repealing the existing prescriptive legislation and replacing it with new legislation which provided for the future agricultural chemical needs of a sustainable and diversified agricultural sector.

The recommended new legislation would provide for mandatory training in the safe use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals for all spray operators and require chemical operators to adopt a Code of Practice as the basis for the safe application of agricultural and veterinary chemicals.

It would also provide for the setting up of a register of new and diversified crops and make it an offence to cause significant environmental damage from negligent spray drift.

Mr House initiated the Agricultural Chemical Spraying Review in 1997 in response to concerns that agricultural diversification was being impeded and required greater protection from the application of agricultural chemicals.

He said that while managers of aquaculture and horticulture enterprises were concerned that their ability to diversify was being restricted by the application of agricultural chemicals on neighbouring properties, existing farmers also had to be able to carry out their present enterprises.

There was also concern that the Spraying Restrictions Regulations were inadequate as they only applied to grapevines and tomato crops, and restricted the use of only a limited number of herbicides near these crops.

"In recent years we have seen the rapid development of agricultural industries such as aquaculture and horticulture in traditional cropping areas, often as a means of supplementing and diversifying farm income," Mr House said.

"Marron, yabbies and other aquacultural species are being farmed in many centres from Geraldton to Esperance, seed potato farms are operating in Esperance, a vineyard in Mingenew and sweet corn and other vegetable crops in Irwin.

"These new enterprises can be at risk of damage from the application of herbicides and insecticides on other agricultural properties in the district."

Mr House said the review committee had held 12 public meetings in mid-1997 in rural centres from Kununurra to Esperance which were attended by more than 250 people. A further 50 written submissions had also been received.

Copies of the review report were available from John Chilby at Agriculture Western Australia in South Perth (phone 08 9368 3881). Written comments should be also sent to John Chilby before Friday, February 27, 1998.

Media contacts: Nicole Trigwell (08) 9481 2044

Murray Criddle: 0899 213344