The Gymnasium program is a leadership program for young farmers involved in advocacy and brings together young farmers from all over the world.

The World Food Forum was a great experience as it gave me an opportunity to represent Australian agriculture on a global scale. We were able to share issues and solutions while working on policy to develop outcomes for all.

It was a chance for us to discuss and learn from the challenges faced by other young farmers.
A great example was a grain producer called Noel Banville, from Ireland. Both of us are heavily involved in our respective grains industries and discussions with him painted a stark picture of our future if overbearing regulation takes hold.

Noel said there was growing herbicide resistance in Ireland due to the limited amount of chemistry Irish farmers were allowed to use to manage their crops.

In addition to this there was fertiliser caps, including on the amount of nitrogen that could be applied to a field, limiting the potential yield. Both policies would be devastating to the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Australian farming if they were to be implemented here.

We are already seeing influences of European policy on Australian production through programs like the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification.

Given these forums are where policy is discussed and developed, it is important farmers are present to share their perspectives and experiences.

This includes to explain why we produce food the way we do and how we manage our land in a way that is productive, profitable and sustainable. This includes aspects such as how we manage our paddocks to convert moisture into produce.

In grazing scenarios this means managing stocking densities and paddock rotation, while in cropping we need access to a broad range of chemistry to effectively manage weeds and maintain our stubble cover.

Without being present at these events, we can’t explain and demonstrate why we produce food the way that we do and how enforcing European Union-style restrictions would actually increase the risk to the landscape.

If growers aren’t allowed a range of appropriate tools for weed control, there may be an increase in ploughing.

This would not only exacerbate moisture loss and reduce yield potential, but would also expose the soil to more erosion, further degrading our soils. The same applies to fertiliser restrictions. If we do not apply enough fertiliser to replace the nutrients we are exporting with produce, then we are mining our soils of nutrients and degrading them.

These are the stories I shared during my time at the World Food Forum. I had the opportunity to share them through being involved with NSW Farmers, National Farmers Federation and the WFO. If we want to protect our industry, then as growers we need to be involved.

The post Why young farmers need to get involved appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Deputy Secretary Matt Lowe said the hubs were under review to evaluate their performance.

“The eight drought hubs started in April 2021, thanks to FDF funding from the Australian Government,” Mr Lowe said.

“The idea was to connect producers, industry, agribusinesses, natural resource management practitioners and communities with regional experts, innovations, and new practices.

“There is no one way to be ready for drought. The local hubs and nodes mean that drought-proofing farms can be tailored to individual regions.”

Last year the Productivity Commission presented their Inquiry Report on the FDF, which found the hubs could be clearer about their roles.

• READ MORE: Always be drought-ready

“We’re taking the report seriously and we want to make sure the hubs are fit for purpose and creating the best possible results for the agriculture sector,” Mr Lowe said.

“Funding has been extended for two years from 2024-25 while the review is underway, with future funding from 2026-27 contingent on the outcome of the review.

“The review will look at how the hubs are performing, as well as how they’re governed and operating. The review will also look at how effective the program is.

“This is the chance for the community to put forward their feedback on the hubs and what we can do to make them effective for the agriculture sector. I encourage producers, businesses and people in regional areas to make their voices heard.”

For more information visit Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs – DAFF.

To have your say on the drought hubs visit https://haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/innovation-hubs.

The post Have your say on the future of Drought Hubs appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS) is introducing a new initiative this year, offering complimentary fox control baits to all certified participants.

Given the threat feral foxes pose to both the ecosystem and livestock, LLS called on landholders in the Armidale, Walcha, and Guyra areas to join forces with their neighbours and engage in the Fox Baiting Program in June 2024.

According to Michael Smart, Biosecurity Officer at Northern Tablelands LLS, cooperation between neighbouring producers was key to the success of the program.

“This program has been running since the early 2000s, and we have always relied on the support of local volunteers to help us coordinate the groups at 18 localities across the region, and widespread participation from landholders. Through this support we are able to reduce the impact of fox predation on local ecosystems and livestock in the region.”

Michael Smart, Biosecurity Officer at Northern Tablelands LLS

Bronwyn Petrie, a Tenterfield farmer and member of the NSW Farmers Conservation and Resource Management Committee, said any support for farmers in controlling pests and weeds was always welcome.

“Farmers’ engagement in pest and weed control assists not only farming production systems but also the environment. Foxes are an ongoing problem across the tablelands and continue to impact lambs and kids,” Mrs Petrie said.

“NSW Farmers is strongly supportive of coordinated approach to feral pest control in order to be more effective and achieve a greater result.  If farmers and crown land managers work in an ad hoc manner, then the outcome is watered down due to populations of feral animals being unaffected on some lands and then continuing to prey on neighbouring livestock and native animals.

“It’s important for cattle producers to also support the baiting program to ensure a good outcome across the area.”

Mrs Petrie said there was a “wild dog working group” based in Tenterfield, which also covered foxes.

“I’d like to encourage all farmers to join their local feral animal control group so they can be better informed and involved in a coordinated approach to achieve a higher level of feral animal control thus improving farm productivity, reducing stress on livestock and owners, as well as reducing the impact on our native animals.”

Bronwyn Petrie, Member of the NSW Farmers Conservation and Resource Management Committee

According to the LLS, community support was essential to controlling fox populations in the New England and Northern Tablelands, due to the nature of foxes travelling between properties.

In the Northern Tablelands region, landholders could collect baits for the control of foxes by joining their local pest animal management group. This allowed landholders to work together to bait simultaneously to cover a wide area, which resulted in better control outcomes across the New England area.

Farmers were urged to join their local fox control baiting group. The Northern Tablelands group’s baiting schedule was listed on the Local Land Services website.

All participating landholders were required to be accredited and must show their chemical card, or they could appoint an authorised agent to collect and deploy the fox control baits on their behalf through Northern Tablelands LLS.

There were also free online Vertebrate Pesticide Induction Training courses available, which provided accreditation valid for five years.

Learn more here.

Foxes were an invasive pest species known for preying on lambs, calves, and poultry, as well as spreading diseases and parasites to both animals and humans.

In addition to harming livestock, they negatively impacted the natural environment by spreading weeds and hunting native wildlife, such as possums, wallabies, birds, reptiles, and frogs.

Farmers keen to participate in the program were encouraged to contact Northern Tablelands LLS at (02) 6770 2000. More information available here.

If you enjoyed reading about fox control baits, you may also like to read breaking news about avian influenza being discovered in NSW.

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Farmers are advised to remain cautiously optimistic in light of the latest winter crop report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

According to the ABARES report, winter crop production in NSW was predicted to rise by 36 per cent to 15 million tonnes in 2024–25, marking a 28 per cent increase above the 10-year average to 2023–24.

Winter crop yields were forecast to rise by 24 per cent to 2.5 tonnes per hectare in 2024–‍25 (this was 23 per cent above the 10-‍year average to 2023–‍24).

The optimistic forecast was attributed to an excellent start to the winter cropping season nationally, allowing most growers to fully achieve their robust planting goals.

However, NSW Farmers economist Samuel Miller said it was always wise to be cautiously optimistic when it came to forecasts released by ABARES.

“ABARES claimed that winter crop yields are forecast to rise by 24 per cent, which sounds positive. However, looking back at the last 25 years of ABARES forecasts, the median forecast error is around plus or minus 18 per cent. Putting that potential 24 per cent increase in context helps,” Mr Miller said.

“It’s likely to be a positive year for farmers, but with all forecasts, it’s essential to be mindful of potential errors. You can never perfectly predict the future. The increased production is likely to offset lower prices currently being seen in Australia. ABARES also mentions that, barring any major issues, wheat prices are forecast to remain low for the remainder of the year. However, that comes with the warning of potential unforeseen global issues.”

Samuel Miller, NSW Farmers economist

“Wheat prices, particularly in the last couple of years, have been quite volatile due to geopolitical tensions around the world. It’s important to highlight the crisis in Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine. The situation remains unpredictable, and developments there or elsewhere could significantly impact global prices.”

According to the ABARES report, the area planted to winter crops in NSW was projected to grow by 10 per cent to 6.1 million hectares in 2024–25, which was 10 per cent above the 10-year average. Chickpea plantings were experiencing the largest percentage increase year-on-year in NSW this season, similar to trends in Queensland.

The increase in wheat and barley planting reflected the above-average subsoil moisture across much of NSW at the time of this forecast. This expansion included areas that were not planted last season due to dry conditions.

However, drier conditions during autumn and lower soil moisture levels in some southern cropping regions—where canola was predominantly grown—had led to a modest 1 per cent year-on-year decrease in the area planted to canola.

Canola, like wheat, was among the top three crop categories and was expected to have a strong year.

Mr Miller said the area planted was predicted to maintain its historical trajectory, which was a positive sign.

“Chickpeas have seen significant growth over the past decade. International markets have opened up, and experts predict that the area dedicated to chickpeas this year will increase by 100 per cent over last year’s. This surge is largely due to the Indian government’s suspension of tariffs earlier this year,” Mr Miller said.

“The same situation applies to lentils, which saw a substantial increase in NSW production during 2019-20, also driven by tariff suspensions and poor harvests in India. If these conditions persist, we could see continued strong growth and diversification of our winter crops, particularly in commodities that are in demand from India, an emerging middle-class economy on the global stage.”

In the Riverina region, the situation varied significantly depending on location. Glen Andreazza, a grain farmer from Griffith, detailed the contrasting conditions in his area.

 “In Griffith, we’re actually quite wet. So, that’s part of the irrigation area. But, where we are, a lot of people have re-sown once and are probably going to have to re-sow twice as far as wheat goes,” Mr Andreazza said.

Mr Andreazza explained that early rains from the north and east resulted in significant wheat losses in the Riverina.

“That rain stretched over a very isolated pocket, sort of Temora, Griffith, Hay, Hilston. If you went towards Wagga Wagga, the area didn’t get much rain until just this last event that came from the South West. Wagga’s been very dry, and you go down to Jerilderie and Finley, they’ve been very dry as well,” he said. “The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area is very wet, but if you go a little bit further south, then it’s been very dry.”

Despite these challenges, Mr Andreazza remained relatively hopeful.

“I think farmers do need to be cautiously optimistic at this stage. I’m talking about very isolated areas, and that’s the rice growing area that’s lost wheat, and possibly the second time. The dry area guys are having a fantastic season at the moment. Even around us, dry land certainly hasn’t had too much rain. The rest of the Riverina is going to have a very good start, especially with this last rain that came through for those a bit further south,” he said.

If you enjoyed reading about winter crops, you may like to get informed on how the Federal Budget will impact farmers.

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On 9 May 2024, the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King unveiled the Future Gas Strategy to support the supply of affordable gas to all Australians while moving towards a more renewable energy future.

The strategy is centred on six key principles which will inform all government policy decisions involving gas. These are:

• Australia’s support of global emissions reduction targets and commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
• The need for continued supply of affordable gas for Australians during the transition to net zero.
• The introduction of new gas supplies to meet an increasing demand during the transition.
• The maintenance of flexibility for households to choose how their energy needs are met while a reliable gas supply moves the country towards higher-value and non-substitutable gas uses
• Promotion of a flexible and adaptable gas and electricity market.
• Demonstration of Australia’s continuing role as a reliable trading partner for energy, including LNG and low-emission gases.

The Strategy in summary

As part of the Future Gas Strategy, a comprehensive analytical report has been released which outlines the required actions that the government will need to undertake in order to meet gas demand during this period of energy transition. 

Firstly, the government will need to prevent gas shortfalls by collaborating with industries to maintain gas-producing regions. They have also committed to reducing gas-related emissions by minimising the output of methane through operations, and promoting geological storage of CO2 in order to provide options for energy security and carbon management. Similarly, they will support businesses by working with states and territories to monitor price levels, and empower First Nations people by creating a collaborative and knowledge-sharing partnership with communities.

According to Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, “gas plays a crucial role in supporting our economy, with the sector employing 20,000 people across the country, including remote and regional communities.

“Ensuring Australia continues to have adequate access to reasonably priced gas will be key to delivering an 82 per cent renewable energy grid by 2030, and to achieve our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.”

Australia’s current gas outlook

Gas currently supplies 27 per cent of Australia’s total energy needs and 14 per cent of Australia’s export income. According to Geoscience Australia, the country was the seventh-largest gas producer in the world in 2021, exporting a massive 81.2 million tonnes of LNG alone. 

Since 2022, the Australian Government has implemented a mandatory Gas Code of Conduct, which limits the power of gas producers by monitoring the supply of wholesale gas to the domestic market to ensure it remains within reasonable terms.

“The Strategy makes it clear that gas will remain an important source of energy through to 2050 and beyond, and its uses will change as we improve industrial energy efficiency, firm renewables, and reduce emissions,” says Minister King.

“But it is clear we will need continued exploration, investment and development in the sector to support the path to net zero for Australia and our export partners and to avoid a shortfall in gas supplies.” 

It is evident that Australian gas has an important role to play when it comes to meeting global and domestic energy transformation needs and slowing climate change. In order to meet environmental goals, the country must limit the use of gas and reduce gas-related emissions.

According to the Future Gas Strategy brief, “gas is used to process food, to process critical minerals and in the manufacture of cement, bricks, glass, and fertiliser. Demand for gas in these industries will remain until commercially viable alternatives, such as hydrogen or biomethane, become available.”

However, there is a clean energy future that involves the production of gas.

“Gas-powered generation will continue to maintain grid reliability during periods of low generation from renewable sources, complementing battery storage and pumped hydro generation.”

To learn about how pre-winter rainfall from the East Coast is bolstering optimism, click here.

The post How the Future Gas Strategy will reduce global emissions appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The “pleasant surprise” of Easter rain was welcomed by many farmers across the state, who’d hoped for moisture in the lead-up to planting winter crops, and it also benefitted livestock farmers by invigorating pastures, reducing the need for supplemental feeding in the drier regions. The most significant rainfall was recorded in the state’s northwest and northeast, where some areas saw up to 100mm.

In particular, around Armidale on the Northern Tablelands, farmers received at least 30mm in one night (April 3). This rainfall was anticipated to boost feed production for the upcoming winter and was especially beneficial for regions such as the Hunter Valley and Northern Tablelands, though warmer weather for another month would help accelerate pasture development before winter.

Forecasts indicated more warm weather for the remainder of April, which should further aid in pasture growth. In the northwest near Moree, rainfall varied from 30mm to more than 100mm near the Queensland border. The timing was also opportune as summer crops like sorghum and cotton were being harvested.

New Edge Microbials agronomist Edwina Murray said the Easter rain was a confidence booster for many producers, as some areas were in dire need of rainfall.

“Some areas had dried out so having some moisture that will stay around for a while has really helped with farmers’ confidence on getting better emergence, but also better seed/soil contact when they’re sowing,” Ms Murray said.

“It’s apparent, especially around my region (Young), that a lot of producers have really started working on their winter crop because conditions have been so great.”

However, Ms Murray cautioned that the rain could also be a double-edged sword.

“Nothing is ever perfect and the earlier you sow the earlier you’re going to spray the pre-emergent chemicals. And, of course, the earlier you start, the earlier they’ll run out which means you can run into weed situations,” she said.

“There are also issues in some areas where producers wanted to hold off the winter sowing opportunities so they can finish summer harvest and then seamlessly go into the winter cropping season.

“However, with the rain, the two seasons have run into each other which would be stressful for cotton farmers, as cotton doesn’t like a wet finish. You need to be able to potentially kill the cotton crop to harvest it, but the moisture keeps the crop going.”

Ms Murray, who lived in the Young area, said the recent rain allowed farmers to sow into moisture rather than sow dry and expect the moisture to come along.

“Most people start sowing around Anzac Day, but they definitely started earlier now they’ve got the go ahead from Mother Nature,” Ms Murray said.

“I think this has given many producers a big sigh of relief because it’s a short window, as you’ve got to start working on the winter crop before it gets too cold… and it gets very cold in Young.”

According to Ms Murray, many livestock producers would be looking at autumn lambing, with a view to hopefully align with rainfall to invigorate their pastures.

“With the Easter rainfall, many pastures would be invigorated earlier, so farmers will be confident that that mothers who are ready to lamb are healthy and strong. And that when the lambs are ready to move onto feed, they’ll be stronger than expected,” Ms Murray said.

“There are predictions for more warm weather ahead this month, which is also a bonus for many producers.

“With the combination of moisture and warm weather, this will speed up the general metabolism in plants, so it means the farmers have the seeds in the ground and it will establish and set roots and repair itself for the cold weather. It means there will be a more resilient crop which sets itself up for more yield potential.

“It also put its roots further into the soil profile to access more moisture and nutrients; this means if you hit a dry period the crop will be more tolerant to stresses.”

But not every area was pleased with the amount of rainfall, as some parts of the state copped a deluge. NSW Farmers Regional Services Manager Mark Bulley said there were definitely pros and cons with the “surprising” Easter rain.

“I think we were lucky the rain was spread over a few days. The average rain in the mid-coast area over three days was about 250mm so that’s pretty good, although it probably delayed some people from doing their tasks,” Mr Bulley said.

“One farmer told me this was the best drought he’s experienced! It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, of course, as there had been concerns we were moving back into drought.

“While it’s good to have the rain, if it runs off too quickly you’ve effectively lost it – it’s the slow, soaking rain that’s really needed so it gets into the ground and the root system. So, while many farmers were saying the rain was fantastic, it really needs to penetrate into the soil.”

Ms Murray also claims the warm, wet conditions were excellent for the survival of inoculants on pulses.

“Farmers who are considering inoculating or double inoculating with these current sowing conditions should see fantastic results,” Ms Murray said.

If you enjoyed this piece on the Easter rainfall, you may like to read about how El Nino has been defying predictions in 2024.

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Western Local Land Services (LLS) has successfully concluded its spring aerial baiting initiative aimed at managing populations of wild dogs, foxes, and feral cats. This campaign was active from April 2 to April 16, distributing 1080 (known as “ten eighty”) poison-laced meat baits along specified bait lines.

The operation spanned several areas, from Enngonia in the north east to Broken Hill in the west, extending to near Pooncarie in the south west and Mt Hope in the south east.

The aerial baiting was undertaken along pre-approved strategic bait lines in mostly inaccessible areas. According to an LLS spokesperson, landholders who agreed to participate provided signed approval for the aerial baiting to go ahead on their property.

“Meat baits are injected with 1080 poison by qualified biosecurity officers, loaded into a fixed wing light aircraft and dropped along the pre-approved bait lines at the rate of 10 baits per kilometre,” the spokesperson said.

“Wild dogs remain a priority pest species in the Western LLS region. Following good seasonal conditions for the last few years, wild dogs and other pest animals have increased their breeding and continue to cause damage to livestock, native animals, the environment, biosecurity and the economy.”

There were several primary and secondary control measures for wild dogs. Seasonal baiting was a primary control and the LLS strongly encouraged landholders to participate in control measures including baiting, trapping, shooting and monitoring.

NSW Farmers Western Division Council chair Gerard Glover said aerial baiting covered a huge area that would be incredibly tough for landholders to carry out themselves.

“Vast areas in the Western Division are very difficult to cover if you’re on the ground and spreading the baits, so the aerial baiting is very effective in getting to all those inaccessible areas. We all know that wild dogs can travel very long distances in 24 hours, so the aerial baiting is a good way to get the job done as they cover a very wide distance. So, it is an important step in the baiting process.”

Gerard Glover, NSW Farmers Western Division Council chair

“Some landholders don’t bait very regularly as it’s not easy to get baits all around your property. So, the aerial baiting is just another way of dealing with the feral cats, foxes and feral dogs.

“I’m not sure how bad the problem is with feral cats because it’s difficult to know how many you have on your property until you go out at night spotlighting. Nobody really knows the full extent of the damage they cause. As for foxes, most people only control foxes about six weeks leading up to lambing and when it’s very sporadic use of baits, there’s a lot of ground that will be neglected. So, I believe that more landholders need to bait for foxes more regularly.”

Mr Glover said most farmers were well aware that wild dogs were capable of inflicting a shocking amount of damage to livestock.

“I’ve heard many stories from farmers about the destructive wild dogs and, while I haven’t had a great deal to do with them personally, we recently had two town dogs come onto our property,” Mr Glover said.

“From what I observed, those dogs weren’t killing for their own need, it was almost like a sport for them – running around in a pack of two or three, they’d chase a cow until he dropped dead through sheer exhaustion. The dogs might not kill the animals, but they will leave them with dreadful injuries or scars.

“We had some sheep who’d been attacked by the dogs, and we found them in the paddock just looking stunned after the dogs had got to them. We ended up having to put them down, and that was caused by the town dogs who’d been on the property for about a week. We eventually tracked them down, but they’d already done a fair amount of damage. They’ll start with a goat and then move onto a cow. They’re an absolute menace.”

The next stage in the Western LLS baiting process was set to begin shortly, with ground baiting efforts. Farmers can learn more about managing wild dogs and other pest animals by speaking to an LLS biosecurity officer on 1300 795 299 or visiting an LLS office. There’s also additional information about wild dog and other pest animal management on the LLS website – www.lls.nsw.gov.au

If you enjoyed this story on aerial baiting for wild dog management, you may like to read about the Feral Pig Program targeting wild pigs.

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The remains of this amphibian were first discovered in the 1990s by a retired chicken farmer in NSW. The farmer, Mihail Mihalids, was attempting to fix a broken garden wall with a 1.6 tonne slab of sandstone he bought from a local quarry. When he carved through the outer layer of the slab, he discovered the remains of an unidentified ancient species.

Mr Mihalids handed the fossil over to the Australian Museum in Sydney in 1997 and, to this day, less than 10 fossils of the same species have been discovered around the world.

The unknown fossil sat in a climate-controlled room for decades, until one day, something miraculous happened.

Lachlan Hart, a palaeontologist from UNSW Science and the Australian Museum, was studying the Triassic Era with his team when they were asked to identify the mysterious fossil. According to Mr Hart, the specimen was a near-complete skeleton, even retaining some soft tissue.

“We don’t often find skeletons with the head and body still attached, and the soft tissue preservation is an even rarer occurrence,” explains Mr Hart.

Through extensive research, the team were able to determine that the amphibian was around 1.5 metres in length and shaped like a salamander. It is believed that the creature once lived in freshwater lakes and streams of modern-day Sydney.

“Superficially, Arenaerpeton looks a lot like the modern Chinese giant salamander, especially in the shape of its head,” Mr Hart says.

“However, from the size of the ribs and the soft tissue outline preserved on the fossil, we can see that it was considerably more heavyset than its living descendants. It also had some pretty gnarly teeth, including a pair of fang-like tusks on the roof of its mouth.”

The species has been named Arenaepeton supinatus, which means “supine sand creeper” in Latin. It is believed to be part of the Temnospondyli family; a group of amphibians that survived two mass extinction events. According to the report of the study, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, its uncanny survival may be due to the large size of the family or its ability to adapt to unfavourable climate conditions.

Mr Hart believes the amphibian likely fed on Cleithrolepis, another ancient fish species.

Overall, only three Temnospondyli fossils have been found in Australia, making the recent identification an important step in understanding the country’s fossil history. 

Title image: the Arenaepeton supinatus fossil © Richard Freeman

To learn more about what happens when a farmer finds a fossil, click here.

The post Ancient amphibian identified in Australia appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The state’s first Feral Pig Coordinator, Bec Gray, is spearheading the charge to reach the Feral Pig Program’s target of 87,000 feral pig kills by July this year.

The coordinated assault from Local Land Services (LLS) and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) began in October and boasted the culling of 33,277 feral pigs in the first four months. 

Central to the program’s success has been the Feral Animal Aerial Shooting Team (FAAST), which comprises a dozen of the best LLS and NPWS shooters plus helicopter pilots and navigators. 

“We’ve certainly knocked some pigs down. The figure was up to 47,703 by the end of February (check before print) and that has come from aerial control programs as well as ground control through baiting and trapping,” Bec said. 

More than 41,000 of those feral pigs were taken out by the FAAST team across 21 different areas of NSW. 

“The reasons why aerial control is effective is that it has the ability to get more people involved and to cover a much larger area,” she said.  

“We like to support what landholders are already doing on the ground. We have been able to use the program’s funding to support local coordinated control efforts with aerial culling. 

Bec Gray, NSW Feral Pig Coordinator

“Part of the program’s intent is to encourage more landholders to get involved in locally coordinated trapping and baiting programs. The effectiveness of the program is really dependent on that.” 

The program also has three landscape control zones or hotspots for targeted aerial attacks. These zones have been prioritised based on feral pig densities, high-value agricultural production and environmental assets.

“One zone is down south and covers some of the Riverina, western and central west regions, the second is based around the Coolah region in the central west and the third zone is the north west region.” 

Bec said a further 24 aerial culling campaigns will be conducted to reach the target of 87,000 dead feral pigs. 

Bumper seasonal conditions across much of NSW has at times hampered the FAAST team’s ability to hunt feral pigs from the air. 

“We were expecting to it to be hot and dry and force the pigs to congregate at water points. Those favourable seasonal conditions for feral pigs continued though and that threw our plans out a little bit, but that’s where landholder participation in the program is so important. 

“The increased control effort through the program is protecting agricultural crops and livestock. It’s also about protecting the environment as feral pigs are a key threat for 146 different species, and I have seen what they can do to pristine rainforest environments.” 

Bec is based in Tamworth and came to the role with 12 years of biosecurity experience at the LLS working with farmers to manage feral pigs and other pest animals. 

“The bulk of my previous biosecurity work with the LLS was in the Walgett and Moree areas, which were subject to feral pig damage to crops and the environment. That meant working with landholders on feral pig management was a big part of the role.”  

Bec said feral pigs can do enormous damage to a wide range of crops and warned farmers about their impact on pending winter crop plantings like chickpeas.

“Chickpeas will often get hit by pigs at planting. They pretty much come in behind the plant and dig up the seed, causing a huge amount of damage quickly.” 

The NSW Government’s spend on control of feral pig populations will total $13 million in the 2023-24 financial year. The one-year Feral Pig Program also includes training events for farmers and covers the cost of treating grain to bait feral pigs for farmers participating in the Feral Fighters program.

NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said more than 2000 farmers have taken part in the State Government’s Feral Pig Program and almost 80,000 kilograms of free bait has been issued. 

“Farmer feedback on our investment into the Feral Pig Program has been positive,” Minister Moriarty said.

“This model has proven to be a leading approach to pest animal management, with biosecurity officers and landholders working side by side across private and public land.” 

Bec Gray, NSW Feral Pig Coordinator

Feral pig ground assault protects lambs

Southern Riverina sheep farmer Colin McCrabb modernised his ground offensive on feral pigs earlier this year with remote activated trap doors, cameras and baiting stations from key ally, the Murray Local Land Service (LLS). 

It has resulted in the trapping of more than 100 feral pigs on his farm in recent months and he has confidence that the pending lambing season will be safe from an invasive and menacing threat. 

“However, my biggest fear with feral pigs is the biosecurity threat. They are the perfect vehicle for spreading diseases like foot and mouth and leptospirosis. Plus, I just hate feral pigs,” Colin said. 

That loathing stems from attacks on lambs in the past on Colin’s 6900-hectare property at Wanganella, which runs two merino studs, a commercial merino flock and a herd of Shorthorn cattle. 

“We have had them predating lambs during the drought, and they also got into our rice crops when we grew them back in the early 2000s.” 

Colin said feral pigs had not been big on the biosecurity radar in the last decade in his region, but that all changed in the second half of 2023. 

“We had a few pig traps that had not been active for a while. I happened to notice a few signs of activity one day last year and got in contact with the LLS. They sent cameras and a phone activated trap door and one of those traps has got 74 pigs since December, which blew me away.” 

Another trap on the southern part of Colin’s farm has snagged another 20 pigs and more have fallen victim to strategically placed bait stations. 

“We’ve got some active biosecurity officers in the Murray LLS that have been very supportive,” said Colin. “It’s been practical support from local staff that has worked.”

If you enjoyed this piece about the Feral Pig Program, you might like to read about the rise of tick fever in NSW.

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Recently, UNSW teamed up with Taronga Conservation Society and the Dingo Sanctuary and Research Centre to study the chemical makeup of dingo urine. The subsequent article, released in the Chemical Senses journal, revealed patterns of behaviour in dingo populations as a response to the scent of dingo urine.

According to lead researcher and UNSW PhD student Ben Walker, “the major finding of this study is that urine from an adult male dingo in his prime seems to have an immediate effect on dingoes who smell it in the wild.

“Dingoes respond faster and more strongly to urine from prime-age males than to scent from dingoes that were younger or older than their prime. And the other effect we noticed was they didn’t really want to come back for two or three days.”

Ben Walker, UNSW PhD student

In order to complete the research, experts split the dingoes into three groups: dingoes in their prime (aged 5-9), younger dingoes (3-5) and older dingoes (10 plus).

A study in yellow 

In total, the investigation included 30 urine samples from 13 different captive adult male dingoes. 

Manager of the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary and Research Centre, Lyn Watson, led the team collecting the samples. “Getting the urine of dingoes is a unique skill,” she explains.

“But having spent 39 years working with dingoes and seeing how they respond to alpha dingo scent makes me very hopeful that a product will emerge from this which will help farmers.

“The territorial instinct of dingoes is even stronger than the breeding instinct, so this scent has meaning in the Australian landscape, mostly to other dingoes who will always respect the alpha male.” 

Researchers were able to identify 107 chemical components in the dingo urine samples, 33 of which were consistent among the entire group.

Desert discoveries

The aim of analysing the urine samples was to identify the individual chemicals responsible for ‘signalling’ status to other dingoes. Using these chemicals, the researchers could then test whether dingoes responded differently to a variety of dingo urines.

To achieve this, the urine was frozen and transported to Strzelecki Desert, where it was placed beneath posts and monitored via remote camera-traps.

“Combining chemical analysis with behavioural experiments in the wild is an unusual but crucial approach,” Ben says. “The logistics of bringing the samples in a fridge for two and a half days on a trip to the desert makes it a lot more difficult.”

On analysis of the footage, the team found that male dingoes in their prime exhibited the largest response to the samples, suggesting dingo status was communicated through their urine. The dingoes also showed signs of determining when the urine was deposited.

Interestingly, before depositing the samples, researchers exposed them to either one, four or 33 days in the sun. Despite varied exposure, all samples still released a strong chemical signal.

A new way forward 

Co-author of the paper, Dr Neil Jordan, believes this revelation will help with future non-lethal management strategies.

“Dingoes have important ecological roles, provide economic benefits, and have significant cultural value particularly to Indigenous groups. Non-lethal tools that focus on localised deterrence of dingoes rather than their wholescale removal would be very valuable, and this study may be a small step in that direction.” 

Dr Neil Jordan

Neil says getting a shortlist of key chemical components that ‘signal’ status is a big step in narrowing the field of research. “While this might not be the ultimate solution, it’s part of a serious effort to work a bit more with animals and their ecology rather than against them.” 

According to the Queensland Environment Department, dingoes are able to keep systems and food chains in balance by acting as predators in their environment. They also hunt some species of feral animals, assisting in the survival of native species. 

In fact, in 2021 UNSW published a study highlighting the damaging effects of dingo removal. Using 32 years’ worth of satellite images of both sides of the Dingo Fence in the Strzelecki Desert, they found that vegetation inside the fence – the area without dingoes – exhibited poorer long-term growth than vegetation in the area with dingoes. 

When dingoes are removed, kangaroo populations increase, often leading to overgrazing which in turn  limits vegetation and damages soil integrity. Less vegetation can also impact the survival of smaller animals. 

Employing the newfound knowledge, Neil believes that dingoes could be deterred from campsites and livestock paddocks using urine. This would reduce the need for widespread removal and help to preserve Australian ecosystems.

If you enjoyed this piece, you may like to read about how detection dogs are fighting the spread of Fire Ants.

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