Working to combat looming mouse plague

State Member for Northern Victoria Luke O’Sullivan has called on the government to establish a taskforce to combat what could be a pending mouse plague.

Mr O’Sullivan said mice had been a problem for the past few years of crop harvesting, with 2018 looking to be no different.

‘‘We are just approaching sowing season now, and the mice are starting to breed up very quickly,’’ he said.

‘‘I am looking for the Minister for Agriculture to really take that on board and try to put something in place that will allow the farmers of Victoria to access zinc phosphide readily.

‘‘The requirements from the health department are too onerous, so the farmers have to go interstate to get it.

‘‘We are getting to a point now where if the mice get that bad there will be shortages of zinc phosphide throughout the southern part of Australia, and if that is the case, farmers will have to resort to using off-label chemicals and start to do their own mixing to try to combat the problem.’’

An Agriculture Victoria spokesperson said the department was working with relevant groups already.

‘‘We acknowledge that mice are a problem this time of year in some areas and steps are in place to help farmers,’’ the spokesperson said.

‘‘The department is working closely with grain grower associations, state departments, GRDC, CSIRO and the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions as part of a National Mouse Management Working Group.’’

The department said a shortage of bait was not an issue, but it would continue monitoring the situation.

‘‘Agriculture Victoria will continue to engage with industry and community networks to monitor the situation and to emphasise the importance of the safe use of registered mouse baits.

‘‘It also continues to work closely with the VFF and the commercial mouse bait manufacturer in monitoring trends in mice populations and bait availability.’’