A shortage of bait is leaving Victorian farmers to watch in despair as mice from the worst plague in 20 years gobble down winter crops.
The issue is just one the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) will raise at a meeting today with Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh.
Click the photo below to view our mouse plague gallery
The establishment of bait mixing sites within rural Victoria so farmers do not have to wait for delivery along with a government subisdy for bait are two solutions the VFF will put forward.
The situation
VFF grains group president Andrew Weidemann said he has received reports of mice as thick as 7000 per hectare in parts of the Mallee.
On Monday, he chaired a grains council tele-conference, involving farmers from across Victoria.
"Generally, most areas are affected to some extent,” said Mr Wiedemann.
"In the Wimmera, they're not as high as last year but they are definitely causing some damage.
"Between Horsham and Nhill seems to be quite heavy ... they're patchy in and around Stawell.
"In Bendigo, I'm hearing about medium to low numbers but they're eating crops, grazing on canola and certainly getting into houses."
"From Ararat down to Lake Bolac, I'd say slugs are giving them more trouble at the moment but they do have the mice – it's a combination of both."
This photo from The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga shows John Cunningham with the rodent nest he found in his E320 Mercedes-Benz.
"We've had reports from Albury-Wodonga about mice. They're getting into vehicles where it's nice and warm. It's quite common,” Mr Weidemann said.
The VFF’s farm business and regional development chairman, Peter Tuohey said plague conditions were increasing.
“The floods have certainly increased the number of mice around,” he said.
Farmer Neil Beattie from Boort, north-east of Bendigo, agreed.
“It’s probably low to moderate here but it’s getting worse,’’ he said.
The mouse plague is reportedly patchy across the Loddon shire and worse further north towards Quambatook.
The solution
Money left over from the state's battle with the locust plague could be used to fight the mice, said Mr Weidemann.
"We're about 80 per cent sown but some guys are still waiting on bait before they can finish off.
"And we have to get rid of the mice, otherwise there's not point sowing anyway."
Health problems
Funding of a public health campaign to highlight the dangers of leptospirosis is also on the agenda.
The bacterial infection can be contracted through contact with mouse urine via cuts on hands and feet, leaving farmers particularly vulnerable.
Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh and the VFF are due to meet at 3pm in Melbourne.
Outcomes are expected to be released on Monday.
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