Australian Wool Innovation is working with the Victorian Government through Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to lock in another three years of work to control wild dogs.
AWI Chief Executive Officer Stuart McCullough is pleased the important work in the North East and Gippsland regions will continue.
"AWI heeded calls from growers for this investment to facilitate community baiting back in 2012 and have continued to invest each year.
"What makes it successful is the goodwill that exists between government and private landholders to manage the negative impact of wild dogs in a coordinated landscape wide approach using all available tools," Mr McCullough said.
This project has a total value of $1,454,490 over the three financial years starting from July 2020.
AWI is providing $840,990.
The Victorian Vertebrate Pest Management (VPM) Coordinators project is an upgrade to the existing Victorian Community Wild Dog Coordinators project.
While the focus will remain on wild dogs, it will also now include other vertebrate pests like feral pigs impacting Victorian woolgrowers.
"Growers have reported success and wild dog attacks have declined. The challenge for the community and for the coordinators is to maintain participation in sustained management to keep impacts of wild dogs suppressed", Mr McCullough said.
As a response to the devastating 2019/20 summer bushfires AWI has allocated an additional $45,000 to assist with the rollout of autumn wild dog management programs to protect remaining livestock and native wildlife.
"This is another way AWI is helping Victorian growers with practical on farm assistance".
