DEAR News Of The Area,

AS we now have a blueberry farm neighbouring our property I have increasing concerns about the intensive use of a large range of environmentally unhealthy chemicals on commercial food crops in the Nambucca Valley, primarily on blueberries but possibly also on zucchinis – Dimethoate being one of them.

Dimethoate is a highly toxic chemical banned in many countries overseas. Dimethoate will render blueberries unable to be imported in a number of South East Asian countries if detected and it is a persistent chemical that moves into the flesh of the berry and can be easily detected by countries who routinely perform analysis of fruit that is being imported.

In fact, many countries will not import produce from other countries that spray Dimethoate.

It can no longer be bought in garden retail stores in Australia but is still permitted by the APVMA on large scale commercial food crops.

It has a four week withholding period (after spraying) on cereal crops but is accompanied by a directive to ‘not graze cattle on the crops in that time’.

It has a seven day withholding period on peas and beans but ONLY a 24 hour withholding period on blueberries and zucchinis!

When Dimethoate flushes out as effluent from insectigation (through a drip or trickle irrigation system) it breaks down to Omethoate which is considerably more toxic. This means that its use on blueberry and possibly other horticulture farms in Nambucca Valley results in it going into the soil and ultimately our waterways, i.e. the Nambucca River.

Dimethoate is an organophosphate, is a nerve poison and considered to be carcinogenic.

It may cause genetic changes and may damage a developing foetus, so why is this chemical approved for use in Australia?

Dimethoate is used mostly for elimination of fruit fly even though alternative methods are available – bait spraying being one of them.

Even the DPI uses this method in the Murray Irrigation area.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is also another option.

IPM is a proven way of eliminating pests by introducing predatory insects. Furthermore, in 2014 the DPI offered a national presentation on IPM as a viable method to significantly reduce the use of Dimethoate for fruit fly and the Queensland DPI reports bait spraying is 96 percent effective against Queensland fruit fly in northern Queensland.

DPI has also offered resources in Integrated Weed Management (IWM) and Integrated Nutrient Management.

If these methods were employed in all forms of horticulture then the use of harmful chemicals would be reduced, the environment would be better protected.

And that includes us!

Is the health of the Nambucca Valley, future farming, the rivers and of all living things worth the risk of using this dangerous chemical, and other similarly toxic chemicals?

Regards,
Raewyn MACKY,
Nambucca Valley.