NSW Locust Control Program Strategy

Purpose

To control locust populations in NSW in those situations where they have the potential to inflict significant damage to agricultural industries across regions and properties.

Reasons for controlling locusts

Impact on other farms/districts

Locusts have an ability to form into dense aggregations as hopper bands or adult swarms which allows them to rapidly devastate crops and pastures. 

A 1km square adult plague locust swarm may eat as much as 10 tonnes of vegetation per day. 

They have the ability to migrate over large distances which means all agricultural areas are at risk from damage if a major outbreak of locusts occurs.

As a result coordinated control programs are needed to minimise the impact on farms and districts away from the source of the locusts.

Economic analysis

Recent economic analysis of the 2004/2005 plague locust control program indicated that for each $1,000 spent in controlling locusts at least $20,000 of crops and pastures were saved.

In 2004/2005 in excess of $1 billion worth of crops and pasture were saved during the locust control program.

Roles in plague locust control

In NSW Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPAs), NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), and the Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) along with land managers and relevant authorities all have important roles to play in managing populations and reducing damage caused by locusts.

Role of Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC)

The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) is responsible for strategically monitoring and managing locusts across NSW, Qld, SA and Vic where locusts have the potential to have a cross-jurisdictional impact.  The APLC undertakes both ground and aerial surveillance and aerial control only, generally west of the Newell Highway.

Role of NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI)

NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) provides state-wide coordination of locust management, including ground and aerial control.

Role of Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPAs)

The Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPAs) coordinate locust management in their LHPA and ensure that land managers meet their obligations for locust reporting and control under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 (the Act).  LHPAs assist land managers by supplying approved pre-purchased insecticides to LHPA ratepayers and giving advice on monitoring and control techniques

Role of NSW land managers

Land managers are the frontline in the successful monitoring and control of locusts.  It is vital (and a requirement under the Act) that they take action to notify their local LHPA of any presence of locusts on their land and eradicate these locusts.

Resources/funding

Pest Insect Destruction Fund (PIDF)

LHPA ratepayers pay a levy into the Pest Insect Destruction Fund which is administered by NSW DPI on behalf of the Minister for Primary Industries and used for locust program preparedness & response.

Stakeholder contributions

Salaries of agency staff are borne by the agency.

Individual land managers contribute to the overall success of preparedness and response by meeting the operational cost of ground control of locusts on their properties with the cost of insecticide being met by the PIDF for LHPA ratepayers.

Operational costs are covered by the PIDF, except for government agencies controlling locusts on their own land where the cost is met by the agency concerned.  

Program delivery

Stakeholder involvement

The Plague Locust Management Group (PLMG) is the Director General of NSW DPI, President of NSW Farmers’ Association and Chairman of LHPA State Management Council and reports to the Minister for Primary Industries.  The PLMG develops strategic direction for the NSW Plague Locust Program, including implementation triggers, investment thresholds and performance measures.  This guides the development of appropriate preparedness and response strategies, operational policies and procedures, risk management plans and an annual Operational Response Plan.

The Plague Locust Consultative Committee (PLCC) has representation from NSW DPI (including ForestsNSW), NSW Farmers’ Association, LHPAs, APLC, Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs), Department of Lands and Local Government and Shires Association.  The PLCC advises the PLMG on operational and policy matters associated with plague locust control.  Other government and non government stakeholders provide advice to the PLMG through the PLCC. 

The PLCC consults with other relevant stakeholders as required.

Control strategies

Response plan

The annual response plan sets out in broad terms operational actions to be undertaken during both preparedness and response phases of the program.

Operating policies and procedures describe in more detail how locust management will be implemented.

Surveillance/monitoring

An important aspect of any locust response plan is surveillance and monitoring. Land managers have a legal obligation to report the presence of locusts on their properties. 

LHPA have an important role in implementing surveillance and monitoring programs to determine the extent of locust outbreaks and the success of control methods so that the most efficient and effective campaign can be implemented.

NSW DPI and LHPAs also utilise surveillance data collected by the APLC in developing a response plan.

The PLMG must have accurate surveillance and monitoring data to ensure sufficient resources are available to control any locust outbreak.

Ground control

Ground control of locusts is critical to the success of any locust control program. If 100 hectares of locust bands are not controlled they may develop into 1,000 hectares of adult swarms.

Ground control is therefore the most effective and efficient method of controlling plague locusts, when the locust nymphs congregate together into bands and are easily controlled at that time.

Ground control may also be used for roosting adult locusts.

Aerial control

Aerial control is not as efficient as ground control.  In addition, there are many areas of the state which are not conducive to aerial control due to the type of terrain and other aircraft or environmental hazards.  Aerial control is therefore a last resort.

NSW DPI will make the final decision to use aircraft to control locusts based on guidelines agreed to by the PLMG.  In making the decision DPI staff will take a risk management approach.

Generally, before aerial control is considered there must be at least 100 ha of targets in an area.  The area concerned must be safe for aerial control activities and must be beyond the capability of land managers to control.  When deciding if control is beyond the capability of land managers, things such as type of terrain, area to be controlled and the potential impact on others will be taken into account. 

Insecticide issues

The insecticide of choice for ground control of locusts is Fenitrothion.  This insecticide is not always readily available and is sometimes hard to obtain in large quantities needed for a locust control program. 

Fenitrothion and Fipronil are the insecticides of choice for aerial control.

Insecticide to treat 30,000 hectares of locusts will be kept on hand at any given time.  Arrangements will be made with the wholesaler to rotate this insecticide with new insecticide at the end of each locust season.

The biological control agent Metarhizium, known commercially as Green Guard®, will be used to control locusts in environmentally sensitive areas.

NSW DPI will maintain an accurate inventory of locust insecticide held to ensure that there is adequate rotation of insecticide and that sufficient supplies are always on hand.

Safety and preparedness

Safety is paramount in any control program.  To ensure safe and effective performance in locust control programs, a team of prepared and trained personnel is maintained.

Performance monitoring

Reporting

Regular reports on progress of the control program will be provided to the PLMG and the Minister. This will include appropriate cost benefit analyses on the success of the control program and reporting against the control program Key Performance Indicators.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Minimise impacts of the control program on crops and pastures, ensuring the program has a positive benefit to cost ratio of at least 6:1
• Sufficient prepared personnel, financial, insecticide and physical resources available to respond to any control program.
• Contracts with aircraft operators and ground contractors maintained.
• Minimise negative impacts to crops, pastures and environment from plague locust control insecticides.
• Effective stakeholder communication is maintained.
• Locust control operations conducted safely.

Implementation of plague locust plan

Preparedness

After-action reviews will be undertaken on all control programs.  Changes recommended from these reviews will be incorporated into future plague locust plans.

NSW DPI will seek advice from the APLC and LHPAs on the possibility of locust outbreaks during Autumn and Winter of each year and plague locust response plans will be developed for consideration of the PLCC and PLMG.

Response

Land managers have a legal responsibility to control locusts particularly on the ground.  Insecticide will be provided to LHPA rate payers through LHPAs for this control.

This insecticide will be provided once locust nymphs have banded.

LHPAs will coordinate locust control activities as part of their normal operations until the coordination required is beyond their capacity.  At this stage NSW DPI will assist the LHPAs by supporting their Forward Command Post (FCP). LHPAs may be asked to provide staffing for the FCP.

If more than one FCP is set up NSW DPI will set up a Local Coordination Centre.

Once an FCP has been set up NSW DPI will set up the State Coordination Centre.

Coordination Centres may be set up to coordinate both ground and aerial control activities.

Communications

A communication framework for plague locust control has been agreed to by the PLMG.

A communication plan is developed as part of the annual response plan and agreed to by the PLMG.  The APLC and other government agencies (eg DECC) will also be consulted on communications issues.

NSW Farmers, LHPAs and NSW DPI will maintain appropriate information on their websites regarding progress with the implementation of the response plan.