Barley Australia: Export Warning For Imi Residues

Recently, Barley Australia released a statement urging growers to carefully consider the use of imidazolinone chemicals on their imi tolerant barley varieties (Spartacus CL & Scope CL). Bulk handlers and grain traders may require a vendor declaration on the use of imidazolinone chemicals and may have receival site segregation.

As we know, there are set MRLs for registered actives. However, different countries may have different thresholds than us in Australia. With residue testing becoming easier to do and more accurate, we need to make sure we are sticking to the label on products. Grain held in storage is tested regularly, and results have found that residues of Imazapyr are at levels that exceed some markets thresholds.

Unfortunately, the situation may occur where a grower complies with the chemical label directions for the use of registered chemicals in Australia for barley, and the harvested barley meets the Australian MRL, but it exceeds particular international market MRLs. In this instance supply of barley to that market cannot occur and it must be sold into an alternative market or used domestically.

Globally there has been heightened vigilance on chemical residues in grain, and many international markets are increasing their monitoring of chemical residues on imports. Exporters of grain are required to meet importing country MRLs. Therefore, the Australian barley industry must carefully manage the use of particular chemicals so that we don’t violate these MRLs, which could potentially jeopardise access to future markets.

Barley Australia is currently working on key overseas markets such as Japan and South Korea, seeking to agree on a higher MRL to enable imi tolerant varieties to be supplied to those markets. However, as a short-term action, they are recommending growers carefully consider the use of imidazolinone chemical on their imi tolerant barley.

Nufarm has said its products Sentry and Intercept can still be legally used according to the label, and that the registration won’t change. However, growers should adhere to requests from Barley Australia and carefully consider the use of the products on barley which is destined for an export market. Adhering to this will assist the long-term sustainability of the barley industry and allow us to continue to export into these markets in the future. And don’t worry, this doesn’t affect the use of these products in wheat or canola.