Benefits and harms of farm chemicals

We must aim to maximise the advantages and benefits of farm chemicals while minimising potential problems. This can be achieved in three ways:

1. by ensuring there are adequate safeguards over the manufacture, sale and use of these products;
2. by ensuring farm chemicals are only used with an integrated pest management (IPM) approach;
3. by ensuring farm chemicals are used correctly, safely and accurately by well trained and competent applicators.
4. Each of these will be considered in turn.

(i) Safeguards

There are very stringent controls and regulations governing all aspects of farm chemicals, including:

• development and testing
• registration
• transport, storage and sale
• use
• residues in food
• disposal of waste
• environmental contamination

It is important to understand the development and testing procedures to which modern pesticides are subjected, and the controls placed on their use. A company cannot simply develop a chemical, call it a pesticide and immediately sell it. A long and costly process is involved. Out of every 10,000 compounds developed by chemists, only about one completes the development phase and satisfies the many controls that have to be passed before it can be offered for sale.

Any pesticide must be registered with Federal government authorities before sale. To gain registration all public health, occupational health, environmental and agricultural concerns must be satisfied. This requires rigorous testing by government and independent scientific experts. Data provided includes the fate and effects of the chemical and its breakdown products in the environment and in foodstuffs; possible impact on wildlife; toxicity to all organisms including humans; prolonged exposure tests; effects on reproduction, etc. All tests are conducted to international standards. All agricultural and veterinary chemicals are subject to ongoing review at all times thus ensuring that new scientific information can be taken into account as soon as it becomes available. Should this information indicate a problem with a chemical product then its use may be severely restricted or its registration withdrawn thus making it illegal to sell or use the product. The time scale from synthesis to final marketing takes anything from 8 to 12 years and requires an investment by the company of around $50 million.

As well as stringent controls over the development and sale of pesticides, there is also strict regulation of their use. This regulatory system aims to protect human and environmental safety, ensure product effectiveness thereby avoiding unnecessary chemical use, and to safeguard Australia's export trade by ensuring our produce is free of pests and also free of unwanted chemical residues.

To back up this comprehensive legislation, State and Federal authorities monitor pesticide use through inspectors and continual testing of produce for illegal residues.

With these levels of control, we can be confident that commercial farm chemicals are effective and can be used with minimum adverse effects, and our food is free of undesirable residues provided the chemicals are applied correctly and the directions on the label are adhered to. In my opinion, if substances such as beer, wine, cigarettes and probably even peanut butter were to undergo the same level of testing and control to which pesticides are subjected, they would never be available for sale. In fact, pesticides are tested to the same levels as human medicines (Anon, 1992a).

At this point I must express my concern that many of the home-made "pesticides" and other substances which are substituted for commercial pesticides do not undergo this testing and are not subject to controls. The result is that we have no information on the residues they leave in food or the effect they have on the environment. This is an area the organic farming movement needs to urgently address. Simply substituting one product for another does not constitute organic farming and naturally occurring chemicals are not necessarily better than synthesised ones. They are all chemicals.

(ii) Operator competency

Competency is a combination of knowledge, skills and attitude. Farm chemical users need to know what they are doing and have a sound knowledge of the products they are using. They then need to have the skills to ensure this knowledge is used to best advantage, while the correct caring attitude is necessary to safeguard themselves, their families and the community.

Such competency can best be achieved through training and accreditation.

Industry commitment to training and competency is exemplified by two national industry training programs:

• The Farm Chemical Industry Accreditation Program introduced in 1988 by the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Association of Australia Ltd (AVCA) for the manufacturing, distribution, merchandising and advisory sector;
• The recently launched National Farm Chemical User Training Program introduced by the National Farmers' Federation.

Both of these programs have been introduced by the industry for the industry and they are aimed at ensuring a thorough understanding of legislative requirements, the correct use of farm chemicals and a high level of competency in the industry.

(iii) Correct use of pesticides

It is essential that pesticides are not used as the sole means of pest control. Misuse, overuse and abuse leads to many of the problems previously discussed. Pesticides must be used as part of a planned systematic pest management program utilising as many control techniques as applicable. This is called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Controls such as biological, physical, cultural, genetic, environmental and mechanical techniques are just as important as pesticides. I believe that our approach should be to use all the techniques of the organic farmers, but to supplement these with the use of pesticides. In other words, using pesticides as part of an organic farming system. The IPM philosophy and approach is in my opinion the only way to economically and ecologically sustainable farming.

When pesticides are used, it is vital they are used correctly. Some of the considerations involved are:

• selection of product
• compatibility with other controls
• safe work practices
• following label directions
• timing of application
• accurate application to the target
• selection, adjustment and calibration of equipment
• application under favourable weather conditions
• keeping good records

By correct, safe and accurate use of these products, better pest control will result, adverse effects will be minimised, and farming will be more profitable.