Future-focused research investment as part of the government's $50 million mouse plague package will assist the agriculture sector to effectively respond to subsequent rodent population booms, the NSW Department of Industries says.
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The package is designed to offer some respite to those affected as mice run rampant in the Central West, with Thursday's announcement also pledging the DPI will launch 'unprecedented' research targeted at controlling future outbreaks.
The research is designed to identify and potentially develop future tools to effectively combat mouse plagues and, ideally, provide avenues to minimise or avoid the damage observed across the Central West and farther afield recently.
In a statement released on Friday morning, a DPI spokesperson confirmed that future-focus and the large number of mice still impacting primary producers, landholders, households and small businesses in the region.
"Mice numbers are high in patches across the Central Tablelands, with reports of damage to crops, pastures and fodder," they said.
"However numbers are variable according to feed availability and environmental conditions, and landholders and homeowners across the region have been impacted.
"This support package will not allow landholders to more-effectively manage the number of mice on their properties, it will also position the sector to respond to future population surges through targeted research investment."
The DPI spokesperson went on to explain affected landholders can contact their nearest Local Land Services officer to register interest in grain treatment, the main feature of the government's 'mouse trap' support package.
However, the locations of grain treatment sites are yet to be finalised.
"Bait preparation sites are being set up where farmers can have grain treated with mice bait for use in their control programs. Landholders can ... register their interest in grain treatment and will be notified when sites are available," the DPI spokesperson said.
The government has sought urgent approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to use bromadiolone in the baiting treatment program, reportedly the strongest mouse poison in the world.
While mice have been prevalent in Orange, populations haven't reached the proportions observed farther west or even in the areas directly surrounding the city.
There has been reports of dozens of mice being caught every day in areas like Molong, Manildra, Cumnock and Stuart Town.
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