More funding to root out pest plants

CANBERRA, AAP – More than $600,000 has been put aside for a plant pest surveillance program to help protect Australia’s farming industry.

AUSPestCheck has collected more than three million records and helps farmers detect new pest incursions before they have the chance to spread more widely.

The online cloud database provides information about the location and spread of pests and diseases, and sends out alerts when they pass a threshold level or spread into a new area.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the country’s farming production – due to hit $78 billion – relies on pests and disease being kept in check.

“Protecting Australian agriculture and our environment against pests and diseases is a shared responsibility that requires the collaboration of industry, research and government,” he said.