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Mouse threat looms for Mallee grain growers

Posted on September 16, 2011

By BEN PISCIONERI

THIS week’s closure of mouse-baiting stations in Victoria and New South Wales couldn’t have come at a worse time for Mallee grain farmers.

The stations were closed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority after they were found to have breached licence conditions.

Just as the announcement was made this week, Mallee Sustainable Farming Incorporated issued a warning about mice numbers, claiming mice were attacking wheat “at an alarming rate.”

The group’s treasurer, well known grain grower Ron Hards, said paddocks affected by last year’s rain and flooding were particularly vulnerable.

Mr Hards said he was concerned about the damage mice were doing to the base of wheat stems, particularly in weather damaged paddocks.

“Farmers need to check their crops carefully at this time of the year to ensure that appropriate action is taken in a timely manner,” he said.

Mr Hards said his own crop of canola had become so infested with mice he’d been forced to aerial bait in a bid to reduce mice numbers.

Meanwhile, as farmers scramble to battle the mice plague, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics is predicting a bumper winter crop.

Executive director, Dr Terry Sheales, said rainfall in August and early this month in most cropping regions had provided a good boost to winter crop production.

“South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales recorded average August rainfall and crops in these regions look promising,” Dr Sheales said.

Australian winter crop production is forecast to be 41 million tonnes in 2011-12, a decline of two percent from the large harvest of last season, which for Mallee farmers was marred by record rains and flooding.

Of the major winter grains, wheat production is forecast to fall slightly to 26.2 million tonnes and for barley, production is forecast to fall by 11 percent to around 8.3 million tonnes with canola production forecast to rise by seven percent to 2.3 million tonnes.

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