Mouse plague grain treatment sites secured

SCONE and Merriwa will be home to two of the 20 sites in rural New South Wales, where farmers affected by the mice plague can access free grain treatment.

See full list of grain treatment sites below.

The site rollout is currently pending on the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) approval for the use of bromadiolone, which will be used only by trained Local Land Service experts in combination with zinc phosphide to create a multi-layered defence of farmers’ crops.

Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the government has secured 5,000 litres of bromadiolone and treatment sites will be rolled out in a matter of days once the chemical has been approved.

“These 20 sites will be strategically located throughout the state’s most affected areas, from Warialda to Jerilderie, and Condo to Scone, to help ease the burden,” Mr Marshall said.

“As for when our treatment stations will be up and running, well that is entirely up to APVMA approval. We are in close contact with them and the Commonwealth 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,” he said.

“We have already secured 5,000 locally-sourced litres of bromadiolone, with an additional 5,000 litres arriving from overseas in the coming days, so our certified staff will be ready to start treating grain completely free of charge for farmers,” he said.

Farmers can register for grain treatment online at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/mice or by calling their nearest Local Land Services office. 

Sites will operate in rotation and by appointment to ensure safe chemical handling and access for staff and customers. 

Treatment site locations:

1. Condobolin;
2. Coonabarabran;
3. Coonamble;
4. Dubbo;
5. Forbes;
6. Gunnedah;
7. Holbrook;
8. Inverell;
9. Jerilderie;
10. Merriwa;
11. Moree;
12. Mudgee;
13. Narrabri;
14. Narrandera;
15. Nyngan;
16. Scone;
17. Tamworth;
18. Wagga Wagga;
19. Walgett;
20. Warialda.