Government contribution
THE FEDERAL Government will contribute $5 million to the Global Crop Diversity Trust to safeguard the world’s crops and strengthen global food security.
Established in 2004, the Global Crop Diversity Trust supports conservation of the world’s food crop seeds and improves the plant genetic resources for the world’s major food crops.
Australia’s $5 million contribution will provide financial support and technical assistance to seedbanks in developing countries and support a fail-safe backup of food crop seeds in the Svalbard Seed Vault in Norway.
Minor use permits
THE AUTRALIAN Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has issued three minor use permits for use on pulse crops.
The minor use permits have been issued to Pulse Australia and are for use on faba beans, broad beans and mung beans.
The products are the insecticide dimethoate, for use in controlling mired bugs in faba beans, the fungicide tebuconazole for use in faba and broad bean crops to treat cercospora and rust and the Group A ‘fop’ herbicide Verdict, for use in controlling grass prior to planting mung beans.
Moving on
Pulse Australia national development manager Gordon Cumming has moved on to a new role with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).
After ten years with Pulse Australia, Mr Cumming will take up a position as the northern region manager for farming systems, agronomy and nutrition, based in Toowoomba.
