NEW South Wales Farmers are calling for more resources to tackle pigs as millions of the pests rampage across the state.
NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said the state’s pig problem was out of control, with official estimates suggesting there could be up to 100 million feral pigs in Australia at present.
“It’s the worst it’s ever been – these pigs are killing calves and lambs, wrecking food crops and wreaking havoc across hundreds of millions of hectares of NSW’s prime agricultural land,” Mr Martin said.
“These pests also pose a very real biosecurity risk, having the ability to travel many kilometres day and night, carrying, spreading and transferring noxious weeds and animal disease.
“Farmers are doing their best to contain the problem, but the numbers don’t lie, and the reality is we need to cull at least 80 per cent of these pigs annually if we are to win the battle against these pests.”
As the situation continues to deteriorate, further funding and resources to support baiting, trapping and aerial shooting of feral pigs must be an absolute priority in this year’s state budget, said Mr Martin.
“The Minns Government’s $13 million dollar investment into feral pig culls was welcome – but it’s not going to be enough when these animals are crawling like ants through the state,” Mr Martin said.
“If we’re to truly break the breeding cycle, feral pig control needs to be a priority in this year’s state budget, or else the problem will spiral further and further out of control.
“We can’t leave individual farmers to face this problem alone – we need all the resources coordinated to tackle this super pest spreading through our state.”
Producer calls for more coordinated control
Northern NSW producer Oscar Pearse recently took to linked in to highlight the pig problem, calling for more coordinated controls from producers.
“Thermal scope in a tractor while doing a night shift recently. Stop the tractor, step out of cab, scan, sight and shoot. Repeat next lap. 27 feral pigs from 26 shots. I mean that is super effective pest animal control right?,” he said in the post“No it’s not, at $2.73 per round and let’s assume 40c for the scope and rifle capital costs and repairs, its $3 per pig. Without travel and all the other unit costs, nor insurance and all the other overheads.
“With the possibility of there being a good 20m feral pigs in Australia – very expensive. Plus for every one I got, one or two ran to cover and will be continuing to damage riparian zones and breed. Hunting alone just isn’t the answer.
“We are long overdue for farmers to read this strategy and get themselves into coordinated bait, trap and shoot programs. Only through scale, via cooperation and coordination, will the job be effective
“And we’re also long overdue for State and Commonwealth Governments to stop the strategy and planning. Enough of that has been done. Targeted incentive dollars on the ground now, effective controls in crown and public lands and facilitation of group coordination. Only way to stop the damage.”
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Same problem in QLD what is the government doing about it?