As of the 30th of September 2024, the chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) label has now been amended significantly. The decision was made based on toxicology, worker health & safety, environmental and residue/ trade issues. Most registered uses for chlorpyrifos that we have used in broad acre cropping in Western Australia will now not be on the registered label. In terms of what uses have been removed from the chlorpyrifos label, it might be easier to tell you what’s left! Table 1 overleaf is an excerpt the new Chlorpyrifos 500 template label. Compared to the old label it will lose about 95% of the old, registered uses.

For those wondering what a fodder crop is, it’s technically “A crop grown specifically for the purpose of being grazed by, or fed to, livestock, but excluding pasture. The term excludes crops such as cereals, oilseeds, vegetables and cole crops, which may be grazed as opportunity crops. If any of these other crops are grown for forage, they should be referred to as crops for forage, e.g. ‘cereals for forage’.” (APVMA)

Table 1. Excerpt the new Chlorpyrifos 500 template label (Commonwealth of Australia APVMA Special Gazette, 3 October 2024).

So, what happens next?
Chlorpyrifos bearing previous labels may continue to be supplied for 1 year from the final regulatory decision on 30th of September 2024 and therefore must not be supplied after 30 September 2025 (APVMA). Chlorpyrifos baring the old label can still be used according to its associated label, any with the new label must be used according to the new label instructions.

It is important also to note that the uses that have been removed from the chlorpyrifos label will also have their associated maximum residue limit (MRL) support removed in the APVMA MRL standard. The APVMA will update the MRLs listed for chlorpyrifos in the MRL standard “after a reasonable period has passed to allow commodities from crops or animals treated according to the old label instructions to move through the supply chain” APVMA.