Minor use permits for chemical control of environmental weeds in Queensland

Abstract

Invasive weeds can cause significant, negative economic, social and environmental impacts. They can displace native flora and fauna, fuel intense bushfires, and disrupt primary production, water resources and tourism. Effective weed management is essential for minimising these impacts and relies on a combination of appropriate land management, and mechanical and chemical control methods. Many emerging and declared weed species in Queensland have limited herbicide options registered for their control. In some cases, there may be registered products available, but the approved application method is unsuitable for the situation. The chemical registration process is costly, so addition of minor environmental weeds on product labels is often not economical for chemical manufacturers. Minor use permits from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) can be sought to allow off-label use of chemicals for controlling environmental weeds. Biosecurity Queensland collaborates with Landcare groups, academic researchers, local council and state government to gather efficacy and off-target damage data to support applications for minor use permits. There are 50 permits currently issued to Biosecurity Queensland that allow control of a range of weed species with various chemicals and methods of application. This poster outlines the permit application process and highlights some permits that have been recently acquired or are in the planning phase.