Mudgee is one of 20 regional locations across the state where the NSW Government will established grain treatment sites to help combat the ongoing mouse plague, agriculture minister Adam Marshall confirmed.
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With Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority approval for the use of bromadiolone around crops still pending, Mr Marshall said the government doubled the number of sites initially suggested for the baiting program.
Along with Mudgee, Dubbo and Forbes, should approval be granted, sites will also be set up at other western NSW areas including Nyngan, Condobolin, Coonabarabran and Coonamble, while Merriwa and Walgett are also on the list.
Mr Marshall also confirmed Gunnedah, Holbrook, Inverell, Jerilderie, Moree, Narrabri, Narrandera, Scone, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Warialda as the other areas where sites will be established.
"Instead of the initially suggested eight to 10 sites, we've now made our grain treatment even easier for farmers to access and doubled that number to 20," Mr Marshall said.
"As for when our treatment stations will be up and running, well that is entirely up to Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVM) approval - we are in close contact with them to ensure all safety and environmental considerations are addressed but once they give us the green light then we'll be ready to roll in a matter of days."
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders welcomed the announcement and said the treatment will help primary producers to create a "mouse-free fortress".
"I've been on the ground and seen the impact these vile vermin are having on our farming families. But the use of bromadiolone gives them another tool against the mice to use in conjunction with zinc phosphide and other methods," Mr Saunders said.
He encouraged farmers to register for grain treatment online or by calling their nearest Local Land Services office.
"People can register their interest online and as soon as each site is open we will let them know when and where to bring their grain for treatment," he said.
Sites will operate in rotation and by appointment to ensure access for staff and customers.
To best manage any potential risks posed to non-target species, bromadiolone will only be handled by LLS experts. Landholders will also be educated on best practice and will need to adhere to strict APVMA guidelines when handling treated grain.
Nature Conservation Council chief executive officer Chris Gambian said the conservation movement believes it is critical to control feral pests but urged the NSW Government to reconsider the use of bromadiolone.
"We all sympathise with communities battling this mouse plague, communities that have only recently emerged from years of drought. The last thing anybody wants is to make a bad situation worse by using chemicals that will poison wildlife food chains and potentially kill farm animals like working dogs and house cats," he said.
"We must also ensure that native eagles, owls and reptiles don't become collateral damage in the urgent battle to save crops and grain stores from this plague."
Mr Gambian suggested the Government consider alternatives to bromadiolone, such as warfarin and coumatetralyl for home use and coumatetralyl and zinc phosphide for crops.
The free grain treatment is part of the NSW Government's $50 million support package to manage the impacts on regional communities, which also includes bait rebates for households and small businesses, community workshops and targeted pest research.
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