{"id":13985,"date":"2026-05-19T03:57:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T03:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/13985\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T03:57:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T03:57:27","slug":"australia-approves-new-weapon-against-devastating-mouse-plague-critical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/13985\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia approves new weapon against devastating mouse plague: ‘Critical’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Farmers have been handed a new tool in their fight against a mouse plague that\u2019s destroyed crops and invaded homes.<\/a><\/p>\n

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

The announcement was made after horrifying footage was shared showing thousands of mice scrambling across the ground.<\/a><\/p>\n

In one video from Geraldton in Western Australia, a person can be heard squealing, \u201cI\u2019m actually speechless\u201d, while in another, someone stutters, \u201cThis is too much\u201d.<\/p>\n

On roads, the animals were so numerous that truckies compared driving across affected areas to rolling over popcorn or bubble wrap, while in fields, there were so many burrows that the ground became squishy.<\/p>\n

Do you have a problem with mice? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Words cannot describe\u2019 mouse plague impact<\/p>\n

The announcement was made following a successful application by farming advocates Grain Producers Australia (GPA).<\/p>\n

Spokesperson Andrew Weidemann told Yahoo News it was tough for people in unaffected areas to understand just how bad the problem was, particularly its impact on farmers’ mental well-being.<\/p>\n

\u201cWords cannot describe it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRodents were eating crops overnight, and there was a stench around sheds and vehicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mice were fouling haystacks and other feed for animals, and this was all tied into a plague situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED<\/p>\n

GPA successfully argued that the 25g per kg zinc phosphide option was \u201cnot strong enough\u201d to tackle the problem and that a stronger 50g per kg option was needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Celebration as mouse poison approved<\/p>\n

Agriculture ministers from Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland celebrated\u00a0the announcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a monumental effort to get to this point, and Grain Producers Australia deserves significant credit for getting their application over the line,\u201d South Australia primary industries minister Clare Scriven said.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis bait is a critical additional tool to help growers manage mouse numbers under these extreme conditions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo our collaborative efforts have been aimed at ensuring growers have effective solutions to help protect crops and their livelihoods.\u201d<\/p>\n

APVMA CEO Scott Hansen said in a statement that his agency issues emergency permits \u201cto support farmers and communities when they need us most\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis prioritisation does not mean taking shortcuts in examination of the product and the way in which it is proposed to be used, including its potential impacts on human health, wildlife and the environment,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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