June 25 1981
Letter from Tobacco Growers of Victoria to Department of Agriculture.
Dear sir,
I refer to your letter, dated June 16, in which you sought information about contamination of tobacco crops with herbicide sprays during the past season.
In the King Valley the main problem was from a spraying programme carried out by the SEC or their contractors from the control of brush under local power lines.
Each year minor contamination occurs from hormones. Many are untraceable but some can be traced to careless spraying and contaminated equipment.
Minor damage was identified on the following farms … Cheshunt, and several others not recored. Major damage occurred at *** farm at Cheshunt.
It was very easy to find sprayed areas through the valley and it was admitted by the SEC Manager Mr ***, in Wangaratta that Tordon (Picloram) or mixtures containing Tordon have been used in the area…