February Ag-Chem Update highlights regulatory developments

The latest Hort Innovation Ag-Chem Update (February 2026) provides an overview of recent regulatory developments affecting agricultural chemicals, pesticide use and international maximum residue limits (MRLs) relevant to the horticulture sector.

At the national level, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) continues to manage a significant regulatory workload, completing more than 1,500 regulatory activities in the latest reporting period while finalising most product and permit applications within timeframe targets.

A new agreement between the APVMA and New Zealand Food Safety will allow both countries to share chemical assessment work, helping reduce duplication and potentially speed up access to new crop protection products for growers.

Several chemical reviews are also progressing, including paraquat/diquat, anticoagulant rodenticides, fipronil and neonicotinoids, which remain key regulatory reviews to watch over the coming year.

The update also highlights efforts to improve access to minor-use permits and streamline pathways for lower-risk products, which could help support integrated pest management and improve crop protection options for smaller crop sectors.

Internationally, a number of countries and regions have proposed or adopted changes to pesticide MRLs across various commodities, including developments through Codex Alimentarius, as well as regulatory updates from the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, China, Japan and Malaysia. Codex adopted maximum residue limits for azoxystrobin and prochloraz in avocados. No avocado-specific MRL changes were reported for key export markets such as Malaysia or Japan.

👉 Industry members are able to review the full update on the BPR HERE to stay informed about regulatory changes that may influence crop protection strategies, chemical availability and export market requirements.

This article appears as part of the 13 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.