Bayer plans new herbicide launch in Australia as Roundup alternative

Bayer plans to launch a new class of weedkiller in Australia as part of efforts to diversify its herbicide portfolio beyond glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup. The chemical, known as icafolin-methyl, would be the first new leaf-acting herbicide to reach the market in more than 30 years.

The German company has submitted applications for regulatory approval in the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Brazil and intends to file in Australia next year. According to Warren Inwood, managing director of Bayer Crop Science Australia and New Zealand, the commercial rollout is targeted for 2028. “Icafolin will become a crucial tool, but it won’t be a direct replacement for Roundup,” Inwood said. “We will continue supporting glyphosate as part of our portfolio.”

Both icafolin and glyphosate are non-selective herbicides, designed to destroy all plant matter on contact. Bayer said the new chemical has shown strong results in Australian field trials against glyphosate-resistant annual ryegrass, one of the country’s most costly weeds.

Herbicide resistance costs Australian grain producers about A$3.3 billion ($2.2 billion) annually, according to the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Since its introduction in 1974, glyphosate has become a cornerstone of modern agriculture, but resistant weed species and public concern over environmental and health risks have eroded its effectiveness.

Bayer said icafolin is aimed at commercial agriculture rather than the consumer market and won’t initially be used with genetically modified crops.

Environmental groups have urged regulators to fully assess icafolin’s safety before approval. Anthony Amis, a land-use researcher at Friends of the Earth Australia, warned that little is known about the chemical’s long-term ecological impact. “There are no details on its effects on birds, bees or aquatic life,” Amis said. “As usual, approval could come before all the science is in.”

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) said it evaluates a wide range of scientific data for each new chemical and may reconsider registrations if new evidence of risk emerges. Bayer said it will submit a “robust dossier” to the regulator, including trial data on residues, crop safety and environmental performance.