On behalf of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) I would like to welcome you to EPAC2026 - ‘Advancing Sustainability in Agriculture: Enabling Precision Application of Crop Protection Products by Inclusion in Regulatory Approaches (Processes)’ sponsored by the OECD Co-operative Research Programme. 

The APVMA regulates agricultural and veterinary chemicals to manage the risks of pests and diseases for the Australian community and to protect Australia’s trade and the health and safety of people, animals and the environment.   

A key strategic theme of the APVMA is focussing on the future by anticipating the regulatory implications of change, innovation and emerging technological advances as they affect the regulation of agricultural and veterinary chemicals.  

The continued development and implementation of precision application technologies for pesticides is essential to the future of agriculture as these technologies epitomise what is needed to deliver society’s call for increasing agricultural sustainability while providing a bountiful safe food supply to support a growing diverse global population.  Precision application technologies will be a key component of the future of digital / precision agriculture and I am delighted that the APVMA is playing its part in supporting these technologies. 

I wish you an enjoyable and productive conference and look forward to meeting you soon.