Title: South Australian branched broomrape quarantine measures might ease soon

[ABC News Nov. 22, 3011]] -- Quarantine restrictions could be lifted soon on properties infested with branched broomrape in the Murray Mallee of South Australia. A national eradication program for the parasitic weed recently was abandoned in favour of containment. The national steering committee has released a proposed management plan, which is hopes will be finalised by March. Local produce, such as cereals, considered at low risk of spreading the weed could be freely traded under simple guidelines. But farmer Michelle Thiele thinks stringent rules need to remain.

"Under the current program we had all our properties surveyed, that goes out the window," she said.

"It'll come down to the word of the farmer."

Opposition Agriculture spokesman Adrian Pederick says the changes are about cutting costs.

"We could see an explosion of branched broomrape across the area and [it could] threaten exports and threaten the area's viability," he said.

"The Federal Government are cutting their funding and it looks like the State Government are going to walk away from their commitments as well."

It is almost two decades since the weed was discovered near Bow Hill.

Map: SA



Article: WeedsNews2569 (permalink)
Categories: :WeedsNews:agricultural weed, :WeedsNews:parasitic weeds, :WeedsNews:weed control, :WeedsNews:policy
Date: 24 November 2011; 10:05:13 am Australian Eastern Daylight Time

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid