EPA seeks submissions on Bayer’s bid to ramp up fungicide use
New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority is seeking submissions on Bayer's application to amend rules for use of two fungicide products.
In its call for submissions, the Environmental Protection Authority, (EPA) suggests that “locally-grown stone fruit and greenhouse vegetables may get tastier” if the rules governing the current recommended use of German chemical and biotech company Bayer’s Luna Privilege and Luna Sensation, are amended. Both products contain fluopyram, and Luna Privilege also contains trifloxystrobin.
News reports indicate that in 2015, the same product was possibly linked to crop damage in vineyards across Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Switzerland. In 2016, Reuters News Agency reported Bayer CFO's announcement that the company had set aside 32 million euro in Q3 for future payments to wine growers for damage related to Luna Privilege fungicide use.
Bayer has applied to EPA to allow New Zealand farmers to double the maximum application rate per hectare of the two fungicides and allow them to be applied to a wider range of crops than originally designed for, more frequently. Bayer says that by amending the application rules, Luna Privilege could be used to treat greenhouse-grown vegetables such as aubergines, capsicums and chilli, and Luna Sensation could be used to treat stone fruits.
Public submissions on this application open on 16 June 2017 and close at 5pm on 28 July 2017.