The future of herbicides paraquat and diquat in Australia will lie with science and not with recent "rhetoric" and "innuendo" connecting the chemicals with Parkinson's Disease.
This is the message from Grain Producers Australia Research, Development and Extension Spokesperson Andrew Weidemann during an interview with ABC WA Country Hour.
He said regulators around the world had found the chemicals, which are key to farming systems using reduced tillage practices and as an alternative to glyphosate, were safe to use according to label requirements.
The herbicides are under review by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and proposed changes to use have been made with considerations to research conducted in Europe indicating safety concerns for animals.
"Our concern is the APVMA is using methodologies that are developed for Europe, not Australia," Mr Weidemann said.
"There's absolutely no science supporting links between paraquat and Parkinson's Disease.
"In terms of peer-reviewed processes that have taken place, particularly in the US and New Zealand, it has been declared safe to use according to label."
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