NSW Farmers has welcomed the National Feral Deer Action Plan, saying it will help control the pest animals.
Cooma farmer Craig Mitchell, who argued in favour of feral deer controls at the NSW Farmers Annual Conference in July, said invasive species were a huge problem.
“Whether it’s feral deer, pigs, dogs or cats, none of these pests have any understanding about fences or boundaries and they certainly don’t operate in geographic isolation,” Mr Mitchell said.
“We need all land managers – public and private alike – doing their part to deal with pest animals and weeds, otherwise we’ll keep seeing them return again and again.
“This plan is a very positive move, and we hope to see further coordination and collaboration between state and federal governments and agencies in establishing appropriate control frameworks.”
The NSW Government announced funding for a feral pig coordinator at the NSW Farmers conference, and Mr Mitchell said it was positive to see recognition of the impact all invasive species had on food and fibre production.
“Trying to deal with an invasive species – be it a weed or a deer – it can be very time consuming and costly,” Mr Mitchell said.
“In the past farmers have been frustrated when they see feral animals return to their paddocks from neighbouring properties that haven’t been properly managed.
“Tackling this problem requires a number of approaches – trapping, baiting, shooting, fencing – now we’ve got that recognition, the next part will be a broader strategy to get on top of these pests and keep it that way.”
