New Zealand EPA hearing on Bayer's herbicide Firebird

The New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) proposes a hearing for a modified reassessment of the Bayer’s Firebird herbicide. Firebird is an approved herbicide used to control certain broad-leaved and grass weeds in autumn- and winter-sown wheat and barley. The current approval allows Firebird to be applied at rates of up to 300 mL/ha. Bayer New Zealand Limited has applied to the EPA to allow its use at a higher maximum application rate (up to 700 mL/ha). The hearing will be held on 7 April 2016.

Firebird is a selective herbicide containing flufenacet and diflufenican. It was first assessed and approved in 2009. One of the controls applied to the approval was to restrict the application rate of the herbicide, primarily to manage risks of adverse effects to the environment.