Noxious weeds and Pest animals – your responsibilities

Introduction

Noxious weeds and pest animals can cause a range of serious problems by impacting on human and animal health, biodiversity, waterways and agriculture.

Uncontrolled noxious weeds or pest animals can quickly spread and affect pasture and animal production.

Further, noxious weeds and pest animals can adversely affect the integrity, conservation status, habitat characteristics and aesthetic value of our neutral ecosystems.

Land owners, and land occupiers, have a responsibility to manage their property in a way that does not adversely affect commercial agricultural production on neighbouring farms or impact on the natural environment.

The Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (CaLP Act) is the Victorian legislation which covers the classification and general control of noxious weeds and pest animals.

The CaLP Act establishes protections for primary production, Crown land, the environment and community health from the effects of noxious weeds and pest animals.

Further, the CaLP Act prohibits the movement and sale of all categories of noxious weeds, including the seeds of any noxious weed and any part of a noxious weed that is capable of growing, without a permit.

The CaLP Act also regulates the importation, keeping, selling or releasing of declared pest animals.

The Government has responded to the threat posed by noxious weeds and pest animals by investing in management and research, and the total Government investment has increased substantially in the past ten years to around $50 million in 2009/10.

While prevention and early intervention are widely recognised as the most cost-effective actions possible, historically there has been significant community pressure to deal with pests that are widespread and clearly visible.

Key questions for farmers about noxious weeds and pest animals

• What type, if any, of noxious weeds do you have on your property?
• If they are regionally prohibited are you taking reasonable steps to eradicate them?
• Do you have regionally controlled weeds on your property?
• If so, are you taking reasonable steps to prevent their growth and spread?
• Are you carrying out any activities that might contribute to the spread of noxious weeds such as taking equipment onto roads, selling produce, selling animals or equipment?
• Have you had a Directions Notice served on you in relation to any prohibited weeds on your land, and are you taking the necessary steps to eradicate the weeds?
• Do you have any established pest animals on your property?
• If so, are you taking measures to control them?
• Do you have the necessary permits if you keep any pest animals on your property?

For information on noxious weeds and pest animals on farms in Victoria,
phone the DSE Customer Service Centre on 136 186