Developing efficacy and crop safety guidelines for minor uses: an update from Australia

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is in the early stages of developing efficacy and crop safety guidelines for minor uses. Depending upon the similarity or uniqueness of a minor use to existing registered uses the level and type of data required can vary and current considerations are to establish a four‐tier structure to reflect extrapolation, reduced and/or crop specific data. Lower tiers (Tiers I & II) are proposed for extrapolation and reduced data, whilst higher tiers (Tiers III & IV) encompass more novel uses where specific data relevant to the use pattern proposed would be required. The initial focus is on developing Tiers I & II that constitute the majority of minor use requests and includes a proposal to establish a Schedule of agreed extrapolations. Principles being considered in these tiers include, apart from similarity to registered use regimes, factors such as botanical and morphological relationships, pest biology and behaviour and cultural practices. Future development is required for minor uses involving more novel use patterns under Tiers III & IV.