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Record keeping requirements

Agricultural chemical records

It is a legal requirement to make specific records for all agricultural chemicals used in Victoria within 48 hours of the use, and keep these records for a period of two years.

The records must be made and kept for agricultural chemicals used are:

a.the product trade name
b.the date the product was used
c.the application rate of the product
d.the crop/commodity that was treated or the situation in which the product was applied
e.the extent of use (the area of land treated, or the volume of water treated, or the volume of stored commodity treated, or the weight of the commodity treated)
f.the location where the product was used
g.the name and address of the applicator/supervisor, and
h.the name and address of the person for whom the application was carried out.
    Where a product is being sprayed outdoors (excludes hand-held devices, such as small portable sprayers that can be carried by a person and which are operated manually), the following record must also be made:

    i.the wind speed and direction at the time of application.

    If using poison baits intended for pest animal control (e.g. 1080 or Pindone baits), the two additional records required are:

    j.the date the baiting period began, and
    k.the date the baiting period ended.

    Agricultural chemical record exemptions

    The following agricultural chemical users are exempt from these requirements:
    • users of household or home garden products
    • individuals who are licensed to use an agricultural chemical product under section 108C of the Health Act 1958 and who use these products in grounds associated with a dwelling or commercial building (other than buildings used for primary production or handling agricultural commodities), and
    • individuals who use an agricultural chemical product in accordance with a quality assurance or similar program (for which they are accredited) that has been approved by the chief administrator, and notice of that approval has been published in the Government Gazette.
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    Veterinary chemical product records

    When stock* animals are treated using a veterinary chemical product that is classified as a Schedule 4 Poison or which has an applicable withholding period (WHP), the person applying the treatment must make the following records:

    a.the product trade name
    b.the species of the animal
    c.the location of the animal
    d.the identification number (if known) or description of the animal
    e.the date/s the animal was treated with the product, and
    f.the quantity of the product used for each treatment.

    These records must be made within 48 hours of using a chemical product and kept for a period of two years.

    Veterinary chemical product record exemptions

    The following veterinary chemical product users are exempt from these requirements:
    • individuals who use a veterinary chemical product in accordance with a quality assurance or similar program (for which they are accredited) that has been approved by the chief administrator, and notice of that approval has been published in the Government Gazette, and
    • veterinary practitioners.
    Hormonal growth promotants (HGPs)

    When stock* animals are treated with a HGP, the person undertaking the treatment must make the following records within 24 hours of using the HGP:

    a.the date of treatment
    b.the breed, age and sex of the animal treated
    c.the product name of the HGP used
    d.the name and address of the supplier of the HGP that was used
    e.the number of HGP implants lost or damaged during treatment
    f.the address of the property on which the animal was treated, and
    g.the property identification code of the property on which the animal was treated.
      These records must be kept for a period of two years after using the chemical product.

      Record keeping books are available through the DPI Animal Standards Branch and are issued when HGPs are purchased from an approved supplier.

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      Veterinary practitioner records

      The following requirements apply to the sale or use of a veterinary chemical product that:
      • contains a Schedule 4 Poison substance
      • is not registered as a veterinary chemical product by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
      • is sold without an APVMA approved label
      • is sold for a use not specified on the product label, or
      • has an applicable WHP.
      Veterinary practitioners are required to make the following records within 24 hours of selling or using a veterinary chemical product for the treatment of a stock* animal:

      a.the product name
      b.the date the product was sold/used
      c.the directions for use
      d.the name and address of the person purchasing the product
      e.the quantity of the product sold/used
      f.the species of animal to be treated
      g.the location of the animal to be treated, and
      h.any applicable WHPs.

      If the veterinary chemical product is unregistered, three additional records must be made:

      i.the name of the active constituent
      j.the concentration of the product at time of sale/use, and
      k.the form of product at time of sale/use.

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      Record keeping templates

      The following record keeping templates can be used to record the use of agricultural chemicals, poison baits and veterinary chemicals. These templates are a guide only.

      Record keeping template: Agricultural chemical use Ag Chem (PDF 25KB) Ag Chem (RTF 213KB)
      Record keeping template: Poison baits used for pest animal controlPoison Bait (PDF 25KB)Poison Bait (RTF 203KB)
      Record keeping template: Veterinary chemical use (producers)Vet Chem (PDF 31KB)Vet Chem (RTF 252KB)
      Veterinary advice note template: Veterinary advice note (veterinary practitioners)Veterinary advice note (Word 149KB)
      The Veterinary advice note template is recommended for use by veterinarians:
      • when treating stock* animals with any registered veterinary medicine off-label, or
      • when treating single stock* animals with an unregistered drug, or
      • when dispensing a veterinary medicine for either of these purposes, or
      • when treating an animal with a Prescription Animal Remedy or animal health product that has a withholding period, as a producer record, when there is no follow-on treatment.
      Veterinary advice notes can also be used if there is insufficient space on the label to provide directions for use of a veterinary medicine.

      The information recommended for recording in the Veterinary advice note template meets the legislative requirements for chemical use records for both veterinarians and producers. The template is only a suggested format and may be customised to meet the needs of the individual practice as required. Self duplicating pads allow for a record to be kept by the veterinarian while also providing the information to the producer. Veterinary advice notes must be provided to the producer before or at the time of treatment of the animal/s.

      [stock* - any animal of which any part is used as, or which produces any product that is ordinarily used as, or manufactured into, food for humans, and includes bees, fish and birds.]

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