Page Content
Minor Use
Minor Use Initiative
Minor Use Liaison Office
Submit your Information on Minor Use
Minor Use
This page has been provided to keep the agricultural community informed of progress with the Australian Government’s Minor Use Initiative.
'Minor use' refers to the relatively small-scale or 'minor' use of a crop protection product.
The Initiative
On 7 June 2006, the former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry announced the new joint initiative between the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). The new, joint initiative will focus on sharing information and prioritising research to help meet the needs of industries that do not have the resources to fund their own Research and Development.
Since the announcement, a Minor Use Steering Committee and a Minor Use Liaison Office (MULO) has been established. The Steering Committee brings together expertise from researchers, the chemical industry, state governments, the APVMA and the Department.
The first meeting of the Minor Use Steering Committee was held on 2 August 2006 where a work plan was drafted. The Steering Committee meets monthly to discuss the work of the MULO.
Background to the Initiative
Access to agricultural and veterinary chemicals is vital to the profitability and sustainability of Australia’s agricultural, forestry and other industries. Whilst larger industries are able to access the chemical control options they need, this is not always the case for producers of small/speciality agricultural products. This is due to the high cost of data generation. In addition, the small size of the market means there is insufficient economic benefit for chemical companies to register, and maintain the registration of, these minor use chemical products.
The Minor Use Liaison Office
The MULO began work on 1 August 2006. The APVMA and DAFF have each dedicated an officer to the MULO for a period of twelve months.
During its first year the MULO will work to extend existing registrations to minor crops, rationalise permits and develop a gap analysis of chemical control options for specialty cropping industries in Australia. The gap analysis will be developed in consultation with researches and representatives from specialty cropping and crop protection industries.
At the end of the first year of its operation the MULO will use the gap analysis to recommend to governments and industry a long-term structure for addressing minor use needs.
Information Submissions
Former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has requested industries to submit information on their minor use needs to the MULO.
To submit your information on minor use, please download the Information Submission on Minor Use form 
Word [46kb] and return it to DAFF by email or fax it to (02) 6272 5697.
Contact Us
Contact details for the MULO staff are below:
Daniel Quinn (02) 6272 4099
John MacDonald (02) 6272 3428
Email: Minor Use
Links
What is Approved? – Searching APVMA Databases
- Product registration searches, copies of approved labels etc
- Permits searches for Minor and Emergency Uses
- Permits current as at 30 June 2006, listed according to crop/commodity groups;
- Vegetables Word [786kb]
- Fruits Word [606kb]
- Ornamentals Word [129kb]
- Vegetables
Applying for a Minor Use Permit
- Guidelines, data requirements, application forms, general information, fact sheets etc
- Guidelines for Determining Minor Uses
PDF [164kb] - Guidelines for Determining Emergency Uses or Research Purposes
Other links
- HAL - Horticultural Pesticides Minor Use Update – Winter 2006 PDF [250kb]
- GRDC - Use of Pesticides for Minor Use in Grains Project