Farmers face uncertainty with pesticide ban, sparking industry reform

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) recently announced that by 10 September 2025, possession of diazinon, a once widely used pesticide for livestock and crop protection, will be illegal in Australia for many current uses. This decision has stirred both relief and concern in agricultural circles, especially as diazinon has been a key tool in managing buffalo fly, a costly parasite for the beef industry.

For Tim Scott, owner of the Kandanga Farm Store and K2 Organic Beef producer, the ban is long overdue. “Diazinon is a poison used in 15 livestock antiparasitic products including almost the entire range of buffalo fly tags … along with sheep lice products, pet products [flea collars] and some ‘crop protection’ chemicals [garden pesticides],” he said.

Tim recalls his early career promoting diazinon buffalo fly tags, a role he regrets given his experiences with adverse health effects from handling the chemical.

“I regret my naivety as to the effect on health of the thousands (hundreds of thousands) of diazinon tags I was responsible for introducing,” he said. “I learnt quickly as I got headaches and nausea from handling the tags, our warehouse staff got sick, and I have no idea how many users had adverse effects and what the implications were for the environment, the animals, and ultimately consumers that were exposed through the food they ate (and continue to eat).

“The declining efficacy of the tags also resulted in chemical resistance in the pest populations being targeted,” he added. “There was nothing good about those tags. It’s staggering that such a toxic chemical was allowed into our food chain for so long.”

Buffalo fly is one of the most costly parasites in the Australian beef industry, costing about $170 million annually.

Tim, an advocate of sustainable farming, believes the ban should push the industry to explore safer, more sustainable options. “We need to move beyond silver-bullet chemicals,” he said. His farm has worked with Ag Solutions to develop products like Bos Lik and Bos Phos, which use natural ingredients to boost livestock immunity against parasites, and Bos Bags, a natural dustbag based on past chemical dustbag solutions.