NEW PATHWAY OPENS FOR REPORTING MOUSE PRESSURE

IMAGE: Peter Brown, CSIRO

By Jessica Dempster

Growers experiencing significant mouse pressure can now submit paddock-level evidence through a new Rapid In-Paddock Assessment pathway, allowing local conditions to be considered in mouse activity ratings.

The pathway has been developed by the Grains Research and Development Corporation in response to feedback from growers and advisers.

Grain Producers Australia Western Region Director Duncan Young says the new process recognises that mouse activity can change quickly and be highly localised.

Growers are being encouraged to walk paddocks, check for active burrows and crop damage, and record what they find.

Evidence can be submitted where mouse pressure appears higher than the current agroecological zone rating, with the information used to support a review.

A moderate or high rating can allow access to ZP50 bait under the emergency permit, but submitting evidence does not automatically change a zone rating or provide access.

Three Western Australian zones are currently rated high, while mouse activity is building in parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales.