Bayer Australia Seeks Approval for Herbicide Icafolin-methyl, Eyes 2028 Launch
04 August 2026, Australia: Bayer has submitted an application to Australia’s pesticide regulator seeking approval for icafolin-methyl, a novel herbicide active ingredient that could become available to Australian grain growers from 2028, subject to regulatory clearance.
The application has been lodged with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and represents an important step in Bayer’s global herbicide development pipeline. The company said the new herbicide is intended to help growers manage herbicide-resistant weeds while supporting integrated weed management strategies.
“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.
He noted that herbicide resistance continues to pose a growing challenge for Australian agriculture and emphasized the need for new herbicide modes of action to complement existing weed management practices.
Icafolin-methyl was discovered through Bayer’s global research and development program and is the first active ingredient from a new isoxazoline carboxamide chemical class to reach advanced stages of development. The herbicide is being developed primarily for use in grain cropping systems.
Bayer said Australian field evaluation has been supported through its long-standing Herbicide Innovation Partnership (HIP) with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). The collaboration enables earlier testing of new chemistries under Australian farming conditions and helps generate local performance data during product development.
According to GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart, the partnership has strengthened Australia’s role in Bayer’s global development program by allowing earlier local evaluation and helping position the country as a priority market for emerging herbicide technologies.
The development of new herbicide active ingredients has become increasingly complex, requiring substantial scientific research, regulatory data generation, and long-term investment before commercialization.
Bayer said icafolin-methyl is also the first product developed using its CropKey® research platform, an R&D approach designed to optimize new crop protection molecules by balancing efficacy, safety, environmental performance, and farmer usability during the discovery process.
The company added that Australia’s science-based regulatory framework remains a key part of ensuring new crop protection products meet stringent standards for human health, environmental safety, and field performance before reaching the market.
If approved by the APVMA, icafolin-methyl would provide Australian grain growers with access to a new herbicide chemistry to support resistance management and sustainable weed control. Bayer said it will continue working through the regulatory review process while advancing research and development aimed at delivering new weed management solutions for agriculture.
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