May 26,2021

Andrew Campbell 

Farmers in Australia are defending their crops against the worst rodent invasion in decades. The mouse plague began in New South Wales (NSW) and quickly spread to Queensland and South Australia. Mice have gnawed their way through merchandise and electrical lines, causing problems for store owners. Farmers are abandoning some paddocks because they are unable to plant winter crops any longer. Australia's out-of-control rodent epidemic will reduce the value of the winter crop by $1 million as the eight-month-long outbreak worsens.

After battling millions of mice for over eight months, the NSW government announces a $50 million assistance package to distribute high-grade poison to combat the growing number of mice. On May 20, the NSW government announced that it had secured 5000 liters of the lethal rodent poison bromadiolone. It is sufficient to treat 95 tonnes of grain. The NSW will provide it for free pending approval from federal authorities. However, some people are concerned about bromadiolone's impact on cats, dogs, pigs, and other animals. Farmers in NSW, on the other hand, are expecting federal approval within the next few weeks.

Some propose providing farmers with US$25,000 rebates per farm to cover 50% of the cost of zinc phosphide bait. The inorganic chemical compound, zinc phosphide, is used as a rodenticide to kill gophers, ground squirrels, and other burrowing animals, as well as mice and rats.

Some farmers hope that using double-strength bait will help them overcome the devastating mouse plague.

Photo:webshot.