A disturbing discovery inside a rural shed highlights the growing problem Aussie towns face as the weather cools.

The millions of mice that have destroyed crops are now moving inside in search of warmth.

The video below, supplied to Yahoo News, shows a farmer in the Western Australian town of Morawa lifting a chicken feeder and a bucket, sending dozens of rodents scurrying along the ground.

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) spokesperson Andrew Weidemann told Yahoo News it was tough for people in unaffected areas to understand just how bad the problem has become, particularly its impact on farmers’ mental wellbeing.

He’s spearheaded an application to get a new super-poison approved to help combat the plague in hard-hit states like Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.

“We needed the ability to control the big numbers out in the paddocks before it got colder and the mice started moving into buildings around farms, but also towns as well,” he told Yahoo News.

“It is hard for people to completely understand just how that impacts somebody’s mental health and wellbeing.“

Farmers given new weapon to fight mouse plague

Australia’s pesticides regulator, the APVMA, confirmed with Yahoo News that it has approved the double-strength zinc phosphide bait, ZP50.

The announcement was made following a successful application by GPA, after its members shared their concerns about the ongoing plague.

“Words cannot describe it,” Weidemann said.

“Rodents were eating crops overnight, and there was a stench around sheds and vehicles.

“The mice were fouling haystacks and other feed for animals, and this was all tied into a plague situation.”

Do you have a problem with mice? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com

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GPA successfully argued that the 25g per kg zinc phosphide option was “not strong enough” to tackle the problem and that a stronger 50g per kg option was needed.

Celebration as mouse poison approved

Agriculture ministers from Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland celebrated the poison announcement.

“It has been a monumental effort to get to this point, and Grain Producers Australia deserves significant credit for getting their application over the line,” South Australia primary industries minister Clare Scriven said.

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Managing Director Nigel Hart confirmed that it had been supporting the GPA and the national science agency, CSIRO, in providing data for the APVMA application.

“This bait is a critical additional tool to help growers manage mouse numbers under these extreme conditions,” he said.

APVMA CEO Scott Hansen said in a statement that his agency issues emergency permits “to support farmers and communities when they need us most”.

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