The Allan Labor Government is empowering local community groups to help protect their farms, local environment and the community from the threat of weeds and pests.
Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence today awarded grants totaling $500,000 to 16 Victorian organisations as part of the Partnership Against Pests Program - which delivers industry and community-led actions that target weeds and pests in key agricultural areas.
Established weeds and pest animals damage our landscapes, impact agricultural production, are a risk to international market access and damage culturally sensitive sites. They are estimated to cost Victorian farmers $869 million every year in management and lost production costs.
Grants delivered through the Partnership Against Pests Program will ensure the people most affected by widely established invasive species are central to identifying problems, creating strategies and solutions that help limit their spread and reduce their impact.
Projects being funded will improve local knowledge, capability and encourage collective efforts to manage local established weeds and pests.
Stawell's Project Platypus group will use their grant of $37,450 to help the local community to control established weeds and pests that threaten the district around Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park.
Workshops will bring together experts with community and deliver locally targeted resource packs. Training for Barengi Gadjin Land Council staff will also be supported as part of this project.
This follows $250,000 already awarded through the Program to support the work of Victoria's four Community Pest Management Groups - the Victorian Rabbit Action Network, the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce, the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party and the Victorian Gorse Taskforce.
For more information about the Partnership Against Pests Grants Program, including a full list of Round 2 grant recipients, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.
As stated by Victorian Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence
"Weeds and pests threaten our agriculture industries, environment and communities. It's crucial we empower people to identify, develop and deliver projects that will protect their communities from these threats."
"The grants will support communities to reduce the impacts of established weeds and pests though local action and by bringing together all the local players to achieve sustainable, long term changes."
