Setting sights on feral pigs and weeds in WA

 

Western Australian farmers and landholders will be able to better-manage the impacts feral pigs and weeds have on their properties, with a $444,000 investment from the Coalition Government.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, said the funding—part of the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper—would fund coordinated efforts to manage feral pigs.

 

“Feral pigs can have a considerable impact for farmers, feeding on crops, preying on newborn lambs, causing damage to infrastructure and harbouring and spreading diseases and parasites,” Minister Joyce said.

 

“Their overall costs to agricultural production in Australia are conservatively estimated at around $100 million per year.

 

“Through this funding, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) will develop a state-wide community-led ‘Feral Pig Alliance’ to provide leadership, coordination and capacity building for all the individual groups involved in feral pig control.

 

“The project will develop a state feral pig control strategy 2017-2022, establish new groups in areas of need, increase the number of group members trained and accredited in effective feral pig surveillance and control, and provide additional support to all groups.

 

“This will result in an effective feral pig control program across Western Australia.”

Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and Regional Communications, Fiona Nash, said the funding would also help landholders manage Western Australia’s Weeds of National Significance (WoNS), such as gamba grass, rubber vine, mesquite, mimosa, prickly acacia, lantana and Opuntioid cactus.

 

“Through this funding, DPIRD will ensure land managers, community and industry are aware of the best innovative tools and techniques to manage these WoNS, following recent trials and control work,” Minister Nash said.

 

“It will do this by holding Innovation Field Days, training landholders and weed contractors, having demonstration sites and providing best practice information and assistance with coordination on a regional basis.

 

“By providing these groups with access to innovative tools, knowledge and techniques for surveillance and control, this project will ensure more effective and efficient use of resources and accelerate regional and state eradication of the target species.”

 

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]The Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper has invested:

[if !supportLists]-        [endif]$50 million over four years to tackle established pest animals and weeds

[if !supportLists]-        [endif]A further $25.8 million specifically for pest animals and weeds in areas still feeling on-going impacts of drought

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]The WA Government is receiving $2.43 million under the Managing Established Pest Animals and Weeds initiative.

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]The WA Government is receiving $444,000 over two years from 2017–18 for feral pig and weed management in WA under the Managing Established Pest Animals and Weeds initiative. A further $1.5 million will target wild dogs.

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]The government provided $500,000 to WA under the drought funding in the White Paper in 2015–16 for pest animal and weed management in drought-affected areas, and $500,000 in 2016–2017 to undertake wild dog, cacti and feral pig control in the Mid West region.

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]For more information visit http://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/pest-animals-and-weeds