APVMA faces industry backlash over proposed fee increases

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is facing industry opposition following a proposal to overhaul its cost recovery structure. The plan, approved by the federal government in May, seeks to shift from recovering approximately 40 per cent of assessment costs through application fees to recovering 100 per cent upfront. In exchange, ongoing sales-based levies on products would be reduced.

Industry groups, including CropLife Australia, argue that the increased upfront costs could make registrations commercially unviable, particularly for horticultural crops, label extensions, and smaller markets. A report by consultancy firm ACIL Allen, commissioned by CropLife, warned that the changes could create a “no man’s land” where certain products or uses become uneconomic under the new structure but remain ineligible for permits, potentially limiting grower access to new chemistry and impacting productivity.

The APVMA has previously defended the new structure, which was developed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, as a fairer method of cost recovery.