Agriculture Victoria: stick to rules on double-strength mouse bait
Using double-strength zinc phosphide bait against mice comes with risks. Farmers need to be aware of them.
Agriculture Victoria has reminded farmers using mouse baits to strictly follow the instructions for their delivery, especially now that the potent double-strength zinc phosphide poison has been approved for use.
The department’s chemical specialist Steven Field said the general public was concerned about the risk baiting posed to non-target species.
Mr Field said farmers were required to hold an agricultural chemical users permit and had to strictly follow the instructions for zinc phosphide baits on the permit and label.
Failure to do so could see the farmer facing prosecution, fined or having their ACUP cancelled, removing their ability to use a wide range of chemicals.
“By using baits correctly, farmers can demonstrate to the public and regulators that they are abiding by their legal responsibilities as landowners,” he said.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority approved the use of double strength zinc phosphide, a Schedule 7 poison, for use against mice in April.
But it came with stringent conditions.
They include applying the bait only after bait cards indicated a high level of mice present, and only in the early evening or at night, not during the day.
Farmers must not apply the bait to the outer 50m perimeter of a crop or within 50m of native vegetation.
They should also not use the bait where non-target species are known to frequent or feed.
These new requirements are on top of existing instructions not to use zinc phosphide near homes or in gardens, nor contaminate dams or waterways.
Farmers should also not graze livestock on baited areas within 14 days of application.
Grain Producers Australia president Andrew Weidemann said double strength bait had been mostly used in northern NSW and southern Queensland.
Mr Weidemann said mice had not been a huge problem in Victoria, although he noticed some farmers around his home town of Rupanyup were beginning to bait.
“But the problem (in Victoria) was nothing like it was last year or the year before,” Mr Weidemann said.
“Due to the cold, a lot of the female mice are not breeding now.”
Mr Weidemann said if baiting was required, Victoria growers would use “whatever they can get their hands on”.
He said bait suppliers were now getting demand for double strength zinc phosphide poison from outside northern NSW and southern Queensland but had a shortage.
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