An aerial shooting operation responsible for culling almost 20,000 feral pigs has been dubbed a vital biosecurity measure in the face of the looming Foot and Mouth Disease threat.
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Around 19,500 feral pigs have been culled in seven months and Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said controlling feral pigs is more critical than ever.
"There is a definite concern that if FMD was to enter our country, it could be spread through feral pig populations across NSW," Mr Saunders said.
"Protecting ourselves from biosecurity threats is a shared responsibility, and pest animal management is something every rural landholder can do to play their part."
The more landholders who are actively participating in these group control programs, the more effective they are at reducing pest animal populations.
- Dugald Saunders
Each year, Local Land Services coordinates hundreds of group control programs using a variety of tools including aerial shooting, coordinated baiting and trapping.
Throughout 2021, coordinated pest animal control activities were carried out on more than 40 million hectares of land across NSW.
"The more landholders who are actively participating in these group control programs, the more effective they are at reducing pest animal populations," Mr Saunders added.
Feral pigs, and other pest animals such as deer and wild dogs, can also cause significant damage to crops, pasture and farm infrastructure, and are also known to attack native species.
Pest animal populations have been increasing across NSW following extended favourable wet conditions.
Orange has endured a particularly wet start to August, too, and throughout 2022 there's already been over 600mm in the city's official rain gauge at the Orange Airport.
"There has never been a more important time for landholders to be implementing best-practice biosecurity measures on their properties," Mr Saunders said.