A strengthened response to new and emerging high-risk weeds that can blight the landscape and impact farming productivity is being delivered through new, four-year funding for 97 Local Control Authorities, comprising groups of local councils.

The $40.7 million NSW Weeds Action Program is an important part of the NSW Biosecurity Action Plan, designed to ensure the state’s $25 billion-a-year primary industries continue to thrive.

The program supports targeted surveillance and rapid biosecurity responses, and is building a statewide network to prevent, eradicate and contain priority weeds by undertaking a range of actions, including preventing parthenium weed entering New South Wales as well as prevent the spread and aim of eradicate parkinsonia and tropical soda apple weeds.

The program will also work with landholders to contain alligator weed, frogbit, Hudson pear, harrisia cactus and sticky nightshade as well as instigate surveillance and rapid response resources to detect new high-risk weeds early and act quickly to stop their spread.

These high-risk weed species, which can cause significant environmental and agricultural damage and pose serious health risks to livestock, wildlife and people, require urgent action to stop them from becoming more widely established.

The new Weeds Action Program strengthens weed biosecurity by providing stable funding for risk-based planning, compliance and education, and ensures accountability from the LCAs through biannual reporting and evaluation.

Led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the new four-year program will be delivered in partnership with Local Land Services.

Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said the four-year grant model provides certainty in budgeting, giving local councils and other control authorities the ability to put boots on the ground, retain staff and train new weed biosecurity officers across New South Wales.

“This network of biosecurity officers sustains the surveillance, eradication and containment efforts on key high-risk weeds, including parthenium weed, alligator weed and frogbit to protect our valuable farming lands,” she said.