ACCC endorses Agsafe handling code

29 Oct 2010

Source:  Supply Chain Review
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has granted CropLife Australia subsidiary Agsafe the go-ahead to impose its Code of Conduct for the handling of agricultural chemicals. The code, which will now be applicable for a further three years, seeks to ensure the safe storage, handling, transport and distribution of agricultural and veterinary chemicals in Australia through training and accreditation.

Agsafe’s ACCC ‘authorisation’ will enable it to impose trading sanctions on people or their organisations that fail to comply with the code without breaching the Trade Practices Act. ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel says Agsafe proposes to use this period to transition to an incentive-based scheme.

"We consider authorisation is likely to benefit farmers, industry personnel and the environment by maintaining a high level of compliance and safety within the agvet chemical industry," Samuel says. "In particular, authorisation is likely to help maintain safety levels and minimise disruption to the industry as Agsafe transitions to its proposed new incentive-based scheme, which does not involve trading sanctions."

The aim of the program is to ensure that there is responsibility and regulatory compliance throughout the supply chain. “The ACCC has imposed a condition to require Agsafe to ensure that its documentation and website do not give the impression that only Agsafe can provide this training,” Samuel says.

Read more here