The APVMA has approved an emergency permit for ZP50 mouse bait in broadacre cropping areas.
AgForce welcomes it as an additional tool for producers facing heavy mouse pressure.
We all know the devastation a mouse plague can cause - not just in dollar terms, but socially, and in the mental health toll it takes on affected families.
The permit applies in all states and territories. But this isn't a product you can simply order in, and the time to understand the process is before you need it.
ZP50 is a Schedule 7 poison, so it's only available to people authorised, those who are exempt from authorisation requirements, or licensed.
Two conditions then govern where and when the bait can be used, and both must be met.
First, your property must sit within an agroecological zone rated moderate or higher for mouse pressure. GRDC publishes these zones fortnightly on its Mouse Management website.
Second, your own pre-baiting monitoring at the treatment site must show an average of at least 20 squares eaten per chew card, or more than two active burrows per 100 square metres.
Training is the next gate. You must complete the current Grain Producers Australia course before purchasing, and you'll need to provide both a user declaration and your training certificate to the supplier.
