If you’re out in the field every day, you’ve probably heard the noise about the new APVMA changes that kicked in on March 24. The regulator has officially tightened the screws on how we use “Second-Gen” baits (SGARs).
It’s no longer business as usual. Here’s the breakdown of what’s changing on the ground and how we’re making it easier to stay compliant without the paperwork headache.
The New Law: The 35-Day Countdown
The biggest shift is the 35-Day Rule. It’s simple but strict: if you put toxic bait in a station and the rodents aren’t gone within 35 days, that bait has to come out. No more “permanent” baiting. No more leaving blocks in “just in case.”
Why?
Environmental Hit: The government is cracking down on secondary poisoning in owls and other wildlife.
Restricted Goods: These baits are now “Restricted Chemical Products.” That means the heat is on us as pros to prove we’re using them responsibly.
Audit Ready: If an auditor walks onto your site, they want to see exactly when that bait went in and that it hasn’t been there for 36 days.
The Headache: Keeping Track of the Clock
We know how it is—when you’re managing hundreds of stations across multiple sites, remembering exactly when you “started the clock” on a specific block of bait is a nightmare. Relying on a Sharpie and a paper logbook is a recipe for a compliance fine.
If you can’t prove the date, you’re at risk. That’s where the old-school way of doing things is starting to fail.
The Fix: SGAR GUARD & Predictor
At PestSense, we don’t want you wasting half your day on paperwork or unnecessary site checks. That’s why we built SGAR GUARD into OneCloud, paired with our Predictor bait monitoring stations. It’s designed to give you “X-ray vision” into every station.
Real-Time Consumption Tracking: Our Predictor stations don’t just sit there. They actively monitor bait levels. You’ll know exactly how much bait is being consumed without even touching the station.
Activity vs. Consumption: Predictor tells you if rodents are just “visiting” or actually feeding. If the sensors show consumption has stopped, you have the data to back up your decision to pull the bait long before day 35.
Automatic 35D Timers: The second you log a bait placement in the app, the 35-day countdown starts. Your dashboard shows a clear 35D status so you never miss a deadline.
Audit-Proof Records: When an auditor asks why you kept bait in for 20 days, you can show them the exact consumption graph from the Predictor station. It’s clean, dated, and 100% accurate proof of a professional job.
The Bottom Line
The days of “set and forget” are over, but that doesn’t mean your job has to get harder. By using SGAR GUARD, you’re protecting the environment, keeping the auditors happy, and—most importantly—covering your own back.
