Distributor Bayer is likely to stop selling the product in Australia by the end of next year, despite the fact that endosulfan remains approved for use by the Australian chemical use peak body, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Association (APVMA).

Regardless, Southern Farming Systems (SFS) research agronomist Rohan Wardle said there had been a move away from the "scorched earth" approach of cover-all insecticides towards managing pest and beneficial insects differently through practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

"It's fair to say farmers are moving away from blanket applications and are tying their management strategies in with IPM," Mr Wardle said.

"We've had some growers who haven't put out any insecticide at all this year and have low levels of pest species."

IPM entomologist and director of IPM Technologies, Paul Horne is a strong advocate for knowing what's in your paddocks before any spraying of insecticide.

"Beneficial insects exist, it's really about monitoring and knowing the diversity across individual paddocks, not just treating all paddocks the same, especially when pests are discovered and then sprayed with blanket insecticides."

Bayer Crop Science Australia announced last week it was phasing out endosulfan as part of a commercial decision to replace World Health Organisation (WHO) Class I products with alternatives already commercially available or under development.

The decision has been applauded within some sectors of the community, including the Greens, with the view that Bayer had acted proactively in getting a dangerous chemical off the market.