LANDHOLDERS across New South Wales are encouraged to take advantage of $850,000 worth of free grain and bait on offer as part of a statewide crackdown on feral pigs.
The support is part of plans to strengthen and build the state’s primary industries sector and available through the NSW Government’s Local Land Services.
Funding is part of the government’s Feral Pig and Pest Program with funding from the State’s more than $1 billion biosecurity budget.
It is the third year the Government has provided free grain and bait to landholders as part of the program.
Since July 2023, the NSW Government has committed more than $40 million to initiatives aimed at supporting landholders to control feral pig and pest animal populations.
This funding has led to the removal of some 223,000 feral pigs and the supply of more than 475,000 kilograms of bait to landholders.
The cost to farmers of grain for feral pig trapping and baiting can be significant, but landholders in NSW can now receive supplies for free while supplies last.
Feral pigs pose a major threat to agriculture, native ecosystems and biosecurity. They damage crops and pastures, prey on livestock and degrade natural habitats.
On-farm baiting and trapping programs are critical to reducing the impacts of feral pigs and should be used in conjunction with other control methods, such as aerial and ground shooting.
Landholders interested in accessing free grain and bait and seeking tailored advice on pest control options can contact their closest Local Land Services office on 1300 795299.
Local Land Services’ 11 regions are Central Tablelands, Central West, Greater Sydney, Hunter, Murray, North Coast, North-West, Northern Tablelands, Riverina, South-East and Western.
To find a Local Land Services region, visit Local Land Services Regions.
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said feral pigs are wreaking havoc.
“They are destroying landscapes, threatening biodiversity, damaging crops and undermining biosecurity,” she said.
“With free grain and bait being offered across the state, we’re backing our farmers and regional communities with real, practical support.
“Increasing access to baiting and trapping resources gives landholders the tools they need, meaning greater impact on the ground and fewer pigs out there causing damage.”
Local Land Services Feral Pig co-ordinator Bec Gray said there is no ‘silver bullet’.
“When it comes to feral pigs and pest animal control, unfortunately there’s no silver bullet, which is why we need to support the use of multiple control methods, such as baiting, trapping and shooting,” she said.
“Feral pigs don’t respect fences or boundaries. They move across landscapes and cause widespread damage.
“That’s why we’re encouraging landholders to team up, plan strategically and use the free bait and grain available across all 11 Local Land Services regions.
“This isn’t just about individual properties, it’s about community-wide action. The more unified the response, the greater the success,” she said.
Sheep and cattle farmer Colin McCrabb said pigs cause problems with predation of ewes and lambs. “We were in touch with Local Land Services to see what we could do and use their knowledge and support to not only set up traps, but permanent baiting stations with real time monitoring,” he said.
“Baiting is a great option for us because it’s passive. To be honest, I’ve been really surprised by the number of pigs we’ve had.
“You don’t think you have any on your property until you set it up and see what is actually going on. We’ve removed hundreds since we started our control program,” he said.
“The support from Local Land Services is fantastic. My message to others who don’t think they have a pig problem is you will be surprised what you discover once you start looking for them.
“The predation and damage of pigs is horrendous, plus the biosecurity risks are very real, so we are doing anything we can to put a stop to that.”
