Dozens of councils on Australia’s east coast are using or recommending a herbicide under ‘priority reconsideration’ by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) ‘for effects on environment, health, residues, trade’.
Flupropanate, a herbicide also known as Tussock and Taskforce, is approved by the APVMA for management of selected species of the invasive weed, Giant Rat Tail Grass (GRT) and other exotic grasses.
The regulator is reconsidering the effect of flupropanate on human health and how residues might affect the environment and exports of meat and milk from cattle grazed on land treated with the chemical.
A spokeswoman for the APVMA said flupropanate was nominated for review due to concerns about whether the instructions for grazing withholding periods were sufficient.
‘Subsequent consideration of the information available to the APVMA identified the need for reconsideration of environmental and human health risks, in addition to the residues and trade concerns,’ the spokeswoman said.
Sporobolus Pyramidalis and Sporobolus Natalensis species of GRT are robust perennial tussock grasses which were accidentally introduced to Australia in the 1960s in contaminated grass seed from Africa. The exotic weed was also deliberately introduced into Queensland for riparian stabilisation.
GRT growing on a roadside. IMAGE: Francois Roussea in iNaturalist
There are several native species of GRT but the exotic species of GRT are now declared weeds (an invasive plant with serious economic and environmental impacts) in Queensland and New South Wales.
They produce large quantities of seed that disperse readily and are viable long-term, despite chemical treatment. Mature leaf blades are difficult for cattle to graze, leading to reduced feed intake, reduced animal production and degradation of pastures.
IMAGE of GRT seed head by François Rousseu in iNaturalist
Under biosecurity laws, councils (and Main Roads departments) are required to control GRT on roadsides, parks and reserves and landowners are required to control GRT on private land.
The evidence suggests chemical herbicides have been ineffective at eradicating or even controlling GRT as local government areas from Far North Queensland to Northern New South Wales struggle to slow the northern and southern spread of the weeds.
Several Queensland and New South Wales council websites recommend flupropanate and glyphosate to manage GRT or use wording like ‘use the registered chemical options’.
Regen farmers not happy
Organic and regenerative farmers are questioning the use of the two herbicides to manage GRT, highlighting spray drift, residues on treated land and runoff into creeks and waterways.
Gympie Regional Councillor Gordon Maudsley represents Division 8, covering the Mary Valley cattle farming region where GRT is prevalent.
Cr Maudsley says biosecurity laws put councils ‘between a rock and a hard place’.
Backed by concerned landholders, Cr Maudsley and two of his fellow councillors have persuaded Gympie Council to trial more targeted and integrated weed management methods to reduce their use of chemical herbicides.
‘We are concerned at the level of spraying taking place,’ Cr Maudsley said.
Gympie councillor Gordon Maudsley IMAGE supplied
‘I’m concerned about flupropanate and glyphosate. The world is waking up to these chemicals. We’ve been told it’s safe and I don’t believe that. We are holding talks with council staff to look at other options but it’s not just Gympie. Many councils are reviewing and banning these chemicals.
‘We’d like to see no chemicals but it’s not possible now. We are hamstrung by the regulations on us.
‘Gympie Council has some clever staff and I do believe we can effect change this year. There’s a review of the council spraying program underway following concerns raised by councillors.’
Gympie Regional Council Director of Community Sustainability, Alex Stengl, welcomed the APVMA review of flupropanate and confirmed council was trialling alternative control methods including:
- spraying in a more targeted way in the right time frames (when GRT is seeding)
- offering landholders the chance to sign up for a No Spray register
- encouraging pastures that outcompete GRT
- healthy soil and land management practices.
‘The use of chemical herbicide is one tool open to council and is a more cost effective way of managing weeds on council land,’ Ms Stengl said. ‘We realise there are consequences and it can be contentious and topical.
Gympie Regional Council Director of Community Sustainability, Alex Stengl. IMAGE supplied
‘It’s good that APVMA are investigating. We should always question the use of chemicals and their long term impact on humans, animals and the environment.
‘Early and effective action is critical for preventing any weed. If you can mechanically control the weed, it’s a stitch in time saves nine.
‘Council is open to change in this space such as the use of biological controls (leaf smut) but the smut can kill other native species.
‘It’s really challenging.’
The bigger picture
Under the Biosecurity Act, Queensland councils are required to manage GRT, but their websites and public facing documents do not always name herbicides by active ingredient and instead refer landholders to ‘herbicides’ or ‘approved foliar spray’ and other generic terms.
Gympie Regional Council (a local government area with one of the worst GRT infestations in Australia) references control of GRT with flupropanate and glyphosate.
Bundaberg Regional Council mentions Taskforce (flupropanate) as a chemical used on GRT.
Brisbane City Council lists flupropanate as a recommended chemical control for GRT alongside glyphosate.
Sunshine Coast Council refers to ‘a variety of available herbicides’ but also publishes a list of options for controlling invasive weeds such as mechanical control and pasture improvement.
In New South Wales, several councils including Glenn Innes Severen, Yass Valley, Upper Lachlan, Uralla and Upper Macquarie County Council, list flupropanate as a herbicide to control weedy invasive grasses.
Some NSW councils seem to buck-pass the issue by referring residents to state and federal government websites recommending herbicides.
In Northern New South Wales, councils such as Byron Council are vague on directions to landholders with GRT, stating: ‘Any person dealing with a biosecurity matter must take measures to prevent, eliminate or minimise the biosecurity risk (as far as is reasonably practicable).
Byron Council’s Integrated Pest Management strategy 2019-2029 aims to reduce the use of pesticides but does not rule out the use of herbicides for declared weeds. Council’s weed control page refers visitors to the NSW primary industries site which recommends flupropanate and glyphosate for GRT control.
DPI’s perspective
In Queensland, a spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said: ‘Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, councils and landholders have a General Biosecurity Obligation to control GRT, which is a Category 3 restricted invasive plant due to its significant environmental and agricultural impacts.
‘Flupropanate-based herbicides… are registered by APVMA, following a rigorous scientific assessment to ensure safety and efficacy when used according to approved label instructions.
‘The department supports integrated management approaches for GRT control. These approaches involve a combination of chemical treatments, mechanical removal and land management practices, such as promoting competitive pastures and maintaining soil cover, to achieve more sustainable outcomes.
‘The DPI supports ongoing research into biological control options, in collaboration with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.’
What do farmers’ think?
Gympie organic beef producer, Tim Scott, runs K2 Beef at Kandanga where he uses land management practices instead of chemicals to control GRT.
Gympie organic beef farmer Tim Scott. IMAGE: Bree Martin
Mr Scott believes the use of flupropanate to control GRT is ‘a hot potato’.
He’s confident there are no chemical residues in his beef but can’t say the same for the entire Australian beef industry.
‘If countries where Australia has export markets find residues of herbicides in Australian beef, it could shut industry down.’
Mr Scott said council and Main Roads spraying of GRT on roadsides, parks and reserves undermined the Mary Valley’s ‘clean and green’ produce reputation.
Mr Scott’s farm is listed on Gympie Council’s Do Not Spray register but due to human error, he believes council and Main Roads contractors have sprayed the nature strip bordering his farm, risking his Organic Certification.
He says another issue is that contractors can’t always identify the specific species of GRT requiring control.
‘Misidentification of the two GRT strains on the notifiable species list versus the 22 species that are not, means large areas of public areas and roadsides are being nuked in the name of biosecurity,’ Mr Scott said.
Regen famers control GRT without poison
Meanwhile, other regenerative farmers are also using land management practices to improve and nourish their pastures and control GRT without chemicals.
Nanango cattle, pig and egg farmer, Nick Holliday, told Queensland Country Life his 130 hectare property ‘Belvedere’ was 90 per cent covered in GRT when he bought it. In 18 months he reduced the weed to 40 per cent of the property by planting competing species including cow pea, silk sorghum, lucerne, forage radish, forage kale, crimson clover and Sunn hemp.
Too much leads to bare ground for years
Senior Principal Weed Scientist from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries Tropical Weeds Research Centre and GRT expert, Dr Wayne Vogler, recommended an integrated approach at a GRT info day in Gympie late last year.
This included ‘seed movement reduction’ herbicide, livestock spelling, planting competitive species and overall good land management.
Dr Vogler said if landholders used more than the recommended amount of flupropanate: ‘You might see bare ground for a number of years.’
Regarding GRT eradication, Dr Vogler said: ‘It’s time to live with it, rather than get a drum of poison to try to get rid of it.’
‘If you think the answer is in a drum of Taskforce, you’re kidding yourself.’
This news feature was funded by an Environmental Reporting Grant from the Local and Independent News Association (LINA)
