{"id":14547,"date":"2026-05-19T23:53:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T23:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/14547\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T23:53:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T23:53:16","slug":"discovery-hidden-in-rural-shed-reveals-plague-situation-on-the-move-into-aussie-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/14547\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovery hidden in rural shed reveals ‘plague situation’ on the move into Aussie homes"},"content":{"rendered":"

A disturbing discovery inside a rural shed highlights the growing problem Aussie towns face as the weather cools<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The millions of mice that have destroyed crops<\/a> are now moving inside in search of warmth.<\/p>\n

The video below, supplied to Yahoo News, shows a farmer in the\u00a0Western Australian<\/a>\u00a0town of Morawa lifting a chicken feeder and a bucket, sending dozens of rodents scurrying along the ground.<\/p>\n

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) spokesperson Andrew Weidemann<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s 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.<\/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 told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is hard for people to completely understand just how that impacts somebody’s mental health and wellbeing.\u201c<\/p>\n

Farmers given new weapon to fight mouse plague<\/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 following a successful application by GPA, after its members shared their concerns about the ongoing plague.<\/p>\n

\u201cWords cannot describe it,\u201d Weidemann 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

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

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

Agriculture ministers from Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland celebrated\u00a0the poison 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

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

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