The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) wants feedback on an application to import or manufacture Tower, a new herbicide used to control certain broadleaf and grass weeds in wheat and barley crops.

Adama New Zealand Limited has applied to introduce the new herbicide, which contains the active ingredients:

- chlorotoluron at 250 g/L

- pendimethalin at 300 g/L

- diflufenican at 40 g/L.

Chlorotoluron is a new active ingredient to Aotearoa New Zealand. It has been approved in Europe. Pendimethalin and diflufenican have previously been assessed and substances containing these active ingredients are already approved for use in New Zealand.

Adama says the product offers a new mode of action and should reduce the risk of resistance developing when used as part of an integrated weed management programme.

Almost 100,000 hectares of New Zealand land is used for wheat and barley production. Annual crop sales total around $300 million for both crops combined.

The EPA has carried out a human health and environmental risk assessment and is now inviting submissions on this application.

If approved, Tower could only be used by professionals in commercial settings using ground-based application. It would be applied after sowing and before wheat and barley plants emerge.

Dr Lauren Fleury, EPA Hazardous Substances Applications Manager, says the EPA is making strong progress to boost efficiency in assessing applications, with eight applications for new active ingredients currently in progress.

"We understand the importance of timely access to new products. Since 1 July 2024, we have reduced the queue of hazardous substance release applications by 21 percent, and we are on track to complete the highest number of decisions in five years."

Submissions close on 30 July.

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