Australia
February 21, 2013

Australian farmers are being urged to protect the profits of future farming generations through the launch of WeedSmart, an industry initiative to tackle the growing problem of herbicide resistance.

Increasing resistance to herbicides costs Australian agriculture at least $200 million annually through lower yields and farm profits, a number which will rise inexorably if left unchecked.

Aware of the growing sense of urgency, Australia’s agriculture industry is uniting to launch a new offensive to curb the spread of resistance to help safeguard Australian farming.

WeedSmart, which was unveiled today at the Global Herbicide Resistance Challenge in Perth, is the first education and extension program of its kind, and will arm farmers with the latest tools and resources to combat resistance and ensure the future value of herbicides to farmers.

The launch comes at a crucial time for Australia’s agriculture sector as it grapples with the productivity challenges of a changing climate and becoming Asia’s food bowl.

WeedSmart chairperson, Dr Stephen Hole (pictured), told an audience of more than 350 scientists and experts from around the world that Australian farmers must act now to prevent a further blowout in costs.

“Herbicide resistance is now widespread in Australia and reaching the point where some farmers have few herbicides available. This situation is also emerging in other leading agricultural areas such as the US.”

“There is a real risk that Australian agriculture will lose the huge improvements herbicides have delivered to farmers in controlling weeds.

“WeedSmart is a modern tool for an old problem. If we are to mobilise enough farmers to make significant inroads into this problem then we need to make it second nature for them to take the appropriate action,” Dr Hole said.

Stephen Hole – a farmer from Naracoorte, SA, with more than 10 years experience working in agrochemical companies in Europe – will tell the Global Herbicide Resistance Challenge’s international conference in Perth that the initiative will help secure the weed control gains made by the current generation of Australian farmers.

“Our goal should be to knock out 100% of weeds at every opportunity, implementing chemical and non-chemical weed control measures throughout a season, reducing weed seed banks and preventing weeds from setting seed and spreading resistance.

“WeedSmart provides a practical and innovative tool kit of resources for advisors and growers to keep weeds – and herbicide resistance – at bay,” Dr Hole said.

Central to this initiative is the campaign hub located at www.weedsmart.org.au, containing specific resources for both advisors and growers in the northern, southern and western cropping regions.

WeedSmart also offers a smart phone app, available via the Apple App Store, that assists in determining a farm’s level of herbicide resistance risk and the effectiveness of weed seed bank management tactics.

The WeedSmart initiative involves the commitment of research and development organisations, advisors and agronomists, chemical companies, agribusiness and grower representative bodies who all share a common goal to safeguard the industry’s future.

Website: http://www.weedsmart.org.au

Published: February 21, 2013