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Agricultural Chemical Control Areas Protecting Valuable Agriculture

In August 1996 the Department of Primary Industries implemented a set of controls that restricted the use and application methods for certain herbicides.

By Department of Primary Industries - 14th June 2006 - Back to News

These controls assist in protecting valuable agricultural commodities from off target spray drift damage.

In Gippsland, there are four Agricultural Chemical Control Areas (ACCAs). They are the Melbourne, Lindenow, Boisdale and Orbost ACCAs.

The ACCA boundaries are based on parish boundaries in most cases, but where these are not appropriate, other boundaries (such as distance upstream from a bridge over a river) are used.

The Gippsland ACCAs operate continuously throughout each year. In the north of the state however, the ACCAs only operate for a part of each year.

Use of the chemicals listed below is prohibited by the application methods specified in the Gippsland region ACCAs:

• any formulation of picloram, sulfometuron methyl, esters of triclopyr, and formulations of hexazinone when applied as a liquid.
  (Use of these chemicals is prohibited when applied by aerial application or by mister).
• the ester formulations of MCPA; 2,4-D or 2,4-DB.
  (Use of these chemicals is prohibited by any method of application).

In addition, the following agricultural chemicals may be applied by aerial spraying or mister, only by the issue of a permit from the Department of Primary Industries:

• chlorsulfuron, clopyralid, glyphosate, metsulfuron, and the amine formulations of MCPA; MCPB; 2,4-D; 2,4-DB; dicamba; mecoprop and triclopyr.
  (Types of equipment classified as misters are defined in the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) Regulations 1996).

The permit issued for this use is different to an Agricultural Chemical User Permit (ACUP). Permit application forms are available from the locations listed below. An inspection of the site is an integral part of a permit application assessment.

Knowing the precise location for a property will help determine whether or not it is within an ACCA.

Accurate maps and descriptions of ACCA boundaries are available from DPI’s Senior Chemical Standards Officers, the DPI Customer Service Centre, or through the Internet at www.dpi.vic.gov.au/chemicalstandards, then select Agricultural Chemical Control Areas.

For enquiries regarding these regulations or any other issue related to agricultural chemical use contact David Stewart, DPI Senior Chemical Standards Officer for Gippsland at DPI Frankston on (03) 9785 0173 or the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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