Glypho MRL review triggers strong response

New Zealand Food Safety can’t say for sure when it will make a final decision on the proposed increase in Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for glyphosate in NZ arable crops, but expects to take the next steps in this consultation mid-2025.

More than 3100 submissions were received on the proposal by closing date in mid May, including a large number of form submissions.

“We are currently working through them to review all feedback and will carefully consider all the submissions made before any final decisions,” says NZFSA deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

Currently, the maximum residue level for glyphosate is set at the default level of 0.1 mg per kg for wheat, barley and oats.

The proposal would lift this to 10 mg per kg, double Australia’s maximum limit of 5 mg per kg for wheat grain.

Dry field peas are also included in the proposed change, with a new MRL level of 6 mg per kg tabled, compared with the default.

NZFSA says the higher MRLs are being proposed to ‘support existing use as a preharvest herbicide in wheat, barley, oats, and threshing peas, and as a preharvest desiccant in threshing peas, in accordance with the application rate and use patterns considered GAP in NZ’.

Existing uses were re-examined due to monitoring information which suggested that residues of over the default MRL of 0.1 mg/kg could result in the grain and dried pea commodities from these use patterns, it says.

In its submission to the proposed change, Federated Farmers noted that regardless of the allowed label use, grains for human consumption in NZ are prevented from having glyphosate applied preharvest.

“This is a condition in the contracts for supplying these products and includes milling wheat, oats for rolling and malting barley,” said national vice president and food safety spokesperson Colin Hurst.

Federated Farmers agreed the current MRL is too low, and risks farmer use that follows current label instructions may inadvertently lead to breaches of this limit.

“That said, we caution that the proposed increase to MRLs for glyphosate far exceed what is necessary to avoid inadvertent breaches by farmers.”

While the proposed MRLs are internationally consistent and reflect good agricultural practice, NZ farmers operate at a high, stricter standard than their counterparts in other countries.

“We are concerned that such a change risks incentivising poorer farming standards and allow grain produced under less rigorous standards to outcompete local growers,” Colin Hurst said.

As of late May Federated Farmers was seeking to meet with NZFSA to raise these concerns and push for a better outcome.