Bayer submits application for approval of icafolin-methyl in Australia

Bayer Crop Science

MEDIA RELEASE
Melbourne 3 August 2026

Bayer Australia has confirmed it has submitted an application for the approval of icafolin‑methyl in Australia, targeting a potential launch from 2028, subject to approvals from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

The submission represents a major milestone in Bayer’s global herbicide pipeline and reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to investing in innovation to support Australian growers facing rising herbicide resistance and increasingly difficult-to-control weeds.

“Weeds remain the single biggest cause of crop losses globally, driving higher management costs and placing ongoing pressure on farm productivity,” said Tony May, Head of Crop Protection for Bayer’s Crop Science Division in Australia and New Zealand.

“Herbicide resistance is a growing challenge for Australian growers, and it’s clear that sustainable farming systems depend on having access to new tools and new modes of action to complement integrated weed-management practices.”

Icafolin-methyl is a novel herbicide active discovered through Bayer’s global research and development program. It is the first chemistry from a new isoxazoline carboxamide chemical class to progress through advanced development, with potential application in grain cropping systems.

A key enabler of Bayer’s herbicide innovation efforts in Australia is its long-standing Herbicide Innovation Partnership (HIP) with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

“The HIP program has enabled earlier testing under Australian conditions, helping ensure earlier access to new chemistries for Australian growers that are better suited to local weed species and farming systems,” GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart said.

“Our partnership with Bayer has been critical to Australia being considered early in the global development process, enabling earlier local evaluation and positioning Australia as a priority market for new herbicide technologies.

“This collaboration demonstrates the value of industry and research working together to address resistance challenges and support more sustainable farming systems into the future.”

The discovery and development of new herbicide modes of action requires significant scientific investment and long-term commitment, with the time taken to bring new chemistry to market continuing to increase.

“Bringing new herbicide innovation to farmers takes more time, more data and more investment than ever before,” Mr May said.

“It now takes more than a decade and significant financial investment to discover, develop and evaluate a new active ingredient, including meeting the regulatory requirements that underpin confidence in modern crop protection products.”

Icafolin-methyl represents the first product to utilise CropKey®, Bayer’s breakthrough R&D approach to developing new crop protection products, which is used to optimise molecules by considering multiple dimensions like efficacy, safety and sustainability criteria, and farmer convenience.

“CropKey will continue to accelerate how researchers ‘design’ new molecules that deliver targeted efficacy and better environmental outcomes, helping ensure future solutions are better suited to modern farming systems,” Mr May said.

Bayer acknowledged the important role of Australia’s regulatory system in ensuring new products meet high standards for human health, environmental protection and on-farm performance.

“A robust, science-based regulatory framework is essential to maintaining trust in agricultural innovation,” Mr May said.

“The regulatory assessment process plays a critical role in ensuring any new technology meets Australia’s stringent standards for safety, environmental stewardship and efficacy before it is made available to growers.”

The submission marks an important step in the regulatory pathway for icafolin‑methyl in Australia, with potential application in grain cropping systems. Bayer will await the outcome of the independent assessment process while continuing to invest in research and development aimed at delivering new, sustainable weed‑management solutions for Australian growers.

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Media contact
Shaun Lindhe
Communications Manager – Crop Science division, Bayer ANZ
+61 (0) 476 840 604, [email protected]

About the Herbicide Innovation Partnership (HIP)

The Herbicide Innovation Partnership (HIP) is a long-term strategic collaboration between Bayer and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), established in 2015 to address the escalating challenge of herbicide resistance in Australian cropping systems.

The partnership aims to discover and develop new herbicide modes of action tailored to the specific needs of Australian grain growers, with a focus on sustainability and innovation.

Through HIP, Australia has been elevated to “Priority One” status in Bayer’s global herbicide development program, ensuring that local weed control challenges are treated with the same urgency and investment as those in larger global markets.

Beyond product development, HIP has made significant contributions to scientific capacity building, supporting five cohorts of post-doctoral researchers from Australia and New Zealand to undertake two-year placements in Germany, working on small molecule and biology research. This initiative not only strengthens Australia’s weed science capabilities but also fosters international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and agriculture. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population.

Bayer has had a presence in Australia since 1897 and has a long-term commitment to the health and nutrition of all Australians. Locally, Bayer employs around 600 people across Australia and New Zealand and is dedicated to servicing the needs of rural and remote communities. Bayer embraces and encourages its employees’ unique identities and advances a culture of inclusion and diversity.

For further information visit bayer.com.au.