Support for NSW to better manage established weeds

Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, the Hon David Littleproud MP

New South Wales Minister for Agriculture, the Hon Adam Marshall MP

  • New South Wales to receive $930,355 to improve the management of established weeds
  • Part of a $5 million Australian Government funding package to help land managers, the community and industry better manage established pest animals and weeds
  • 11 projects across Australia
  • The Australian Government is providing $930,355 to New South Wales for two projects to boost the management of established weeds, through a Federation Funding Agreement with states and territories as part of the $30.3 million Established Pest Animals and Weeds Management Pipeline Program.

    Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said the projects would enable farmers to better safeguard agricultural production against established weeds, help protect the environment and better conserve natural resources.

    “Effective weed management starts with stopping weeds from entering Australia, eradicating weeds which have crossed our borders – when feasible, and managing the negative impacts of established weeds,” Minister Littleproud said.

    NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the two projects would help NSW land managers, the community and industry to better manage the impacts of established weeds.

    “NSW Department of Primary Industries is working with land managers to develop updated best practice management guidelines for invasive grasses,” Minister Marshall said.

    “The project will implement stage two of the National Invasive Grasses Research, Development & Engagement Business Plan to establish 21 demonstration sites across NSW, which will highlight best practice management of serrated tussock, Chilean needle grass and African lovegrass.”

    “Another project will help future-proof Australia’s post-border weed risk management systems by improving the weed risk management process to add post-disturbance risk capability and creating a national, web-based, weed risk management system to better enable land managers to assess weed risk, support decision making capability and prioritise management actions.”

    Minister Littleproud said Australia has some of the most resilient farmers in the world, who do a great job in managing the impact of pest animals and weeds on their land.

    “However, we recognise that there is a need to improve the skills and capacity of farmers and land managers, and the tools available to them, to better manage pest animals and weeds,” he said.

    Minister Littleproud acknowledged the NSW Government’s contributions through both the agriculture and environment portfolios, providing more than $1 million of cash and in-kind support to the invasive grasses project and shouldering the in-kind contributions to the weed risk assessment system project, with support from Victoria, South Australia and the ACT.

    “These projects are a great example of how strong collaboration across governments and land managers can improve the management of established pest animals and weeds,” he said.

    “The Australian Government’s $5 million in funding, supported by cash and in-kind contributions from the states and territories, will deliver 11 projects across Australia to improve the management of established pest animals and weeds that have a detrimental effect on Australia’s agricultural competitiveness and the environment.”

    The Australian Government’s $30.3 million Established Pest Animals and Weeds Management Pipeline Program aims to deliver a lasting legacy to farmers, land managers and the wider community by boosting efforts to better manage established pest animals and weeds.

    /Public Release. View in full here.