First commercial product is launched

On 31 March, the IA CRC together with Animal Control Technologies and Meat and Livestock Australia, launched our first commercial product - PIGOUT^® feral pig bait. 

The event was opened by Mr David Palmer, Managing Director of MLA (centre). MLA were a major financial contributor to this project, as was the National Feral Animal Control Program of the Bureau of Rural Sciences (DAFF). Dr Colin Grant, Director General of the BRS (2nd from left) was a key speaker, as was Prof Linton Staples (right), Managing Director of the R&D provider, ACTA.   On the left is Mr Quentin Hart from BRS, and second from the right is IA CRC CEO Tony Peacock.

PIGOUT^® is a revolutionary new delivery system which means that baiting programs can be targeted at feral pigs - one of Australia's worst invasive pests - causing in excess of $106M damage to our agricultural industries annually.  [read more about pigs and PIGOUT].

In the words of Professor Staples, "The development of PIGOUT is a resounding success story for the CRC model.  We now have a fully tested and properly approved pig management bait that not only works, but which significantly reduces non-target risks that otherwise impede any approach to pig management.  Without the support of key industry and government people, a great deal of teamwork, and an environment which provided funding, technology, field work opportunities and a committed management focus, this result could not have been achieved".   

Thank you to everyone involved for their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to Dr Steven Lapidge, the IA CRC Program Leader responsible for this project.

To read the media release, click [here].

Visit our website 'commercial products' page for more information or contact sales@animalcontrol.com.au  for sales information.

IA CRC Board Chair makes 2020 summit

Congratulations to our Board Chair Mrs Helen Cathles, who has been accepted into the federal government's 2020 Summit.  Helen was chosen from almost 8000 applicants to appear as a member of the Future Directions for Rural Industries and Rural Communities Committee, one of ten critical areas to be discussed on April 19-20 as part of a public forum to be held at Parliament House.

Helen is very excited at the opportunity to represent her local Wee Jasper community, for whom she has worked in various capacities and organisations for 30 years,  and is keen for the government to balance its focus on the economy with policies that allow rural communities to have a voice and a future.  Helen and her husband Ian run a fibre producing property in the area, and she is NSW vice president of the Australian Superfine Woolgrowers Association as well as Chair of our Board.

Ideas for the summit can be sent to Helen through email to: weejasper@bigpond.com

Independent review of Freshwater Products & Strategies Program completed

This review took place in Hobart on 19 - 20 March 2008.  The reviewers were independent of the program and of a high standing.  The team included:

• Mr Peter Hoey, retired Deputy Commissioner of the MDBC and Executive Director in the South Australian Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation
  
• Dr Graham Mitchell AO, Foursight Associates
• Dr Charles Kruger, Science Director, Great Lakes Fisheries Commission, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  

The final report is due mid May 2008.  This report will be presented to the IA CRC and MDBC, and will be used to inform 2nd phase investment in the Freshwater Program.

This was the third year independent review of the Freshwater Program.  It addressed Terms of Reference previously agreed between the MDBC and the IA CRC.  Presentations were made to the review team by all of the projects within the Program as well as the related PhD topics and the Freshwater demonstration sites.

Further information has subsequently been provided to the review team by the Program Leader Dr Wayne Fulton, and by the IA CRC Chief Operations Officer Andreas Glanznig. 

Invasive CRC 2nd phase investment strategy planning underway

Planning for the IA CRC's 2nd investment phase (FY 2008-09 to 2011-12) started in late 2007, with a review of the CRC's strategic plan.  The drop in annual funding in the 2nd phase means that the IA CRC Board will need to rationalise the overall CRC Program to focus investment on those projects that are most likely to result in new pest animal control products, services or strategies within the lifetime of the CRC.  As such, unlike the first phase, there will be no open call for funding proposals, as the priority is to sustain, and in some cases accelerate, key projects that will deliver new CRC technologies. 

The IA CRC executive is currently calling for brief project concepts and/or expressions of interest to feed into a possible supplementary bid.   Please [read more] and then contact your relevant Program Leader before making any submission.

Australian government's new 'Caring for Country' program to replace NHT

Caring for our Country will be an ongoing program. In the first five years (1 July 2008 - 30 June 2013), the Government has committed $2.25 billion to the program; almost $450 million per annum.

The goal of Caring for our Country is: "An environment that is healthy, better-protected, well-managed, resilient, and provides essential ecosystem services in a changing climate". [read more]

Food safety top issue at US Vertebrate Pests Conference

(Tony Peacock, CEO)

Vertebrate pests spreading E.coli 0157 took top billing at a number of sessions of the American Vertebrate Pest Conference which I attended in San Diego recently.

A major outbreak of E.coli 0157:H7 occurred in 2006 across the USA.  The outbreak was traced to contamination of fresh baby spinach in ready-to-eat salad packs.  Several hundred cases and a number of deaths resulted. The source of the outbreak remains undetermined but a large number of investigations of wildlife-spinach contact have taken place. Papers were also presented looking into bird and feral swine contamination.  Another paper showed that European starlings can carry the bacteria between dairies.

The follow-up to the outbreak has obviously cost millions of dollars.  FDA points out that washing salad would not have prevented this outbreak.  However, washing salad components is recommended (I thought this was obvious, but I noticed on return that our supermarket salad pack says “washed and ready to serve”).

Fertility control remains an important area of investigation.  No breakthroughs were evident and USDA reported that their “single-shot” GnRH vaccine Gonacom™ would be lodged for registration later this year.

CRC Commercialisation Manager, Simon Humphrys and I held a number of meetings with our collaborator Senestech/Northern Arizona University, on use of this follicle-senescing chemical.  We finalized a significant new contract for CSIRO to use the chemical in a series of rat trials.

DIISR International Science Linkages Grants

The September 2008 call for funding is now available on the [DIISR website].  Applicants should download the guidelines and online application step-by-step guide from the website.

PhDs available - wild dog ecology and management

Expressions of interest are invited for two scholarships ($25627 pa for three years) for projects on the ecology, impacts and management of wild dogs in the coastal lowlands of north Queensland. [read more]

Australian Vertebrate Pests Committee conference

A reminder that this exciting event is to be held in Darwin on 10-13 June.  Register now or download the program by visiting the conference [website].   An e-update (newsletter) is now available.  Click [here] to download.

Cane toad control research forum

Following on from the VPC conference, a forum will be held for researchers with an interest in cane toad control.  To register, view the draft program or submit a contribution, read the flyer [here].

ACTA award nominations - field operators

Also on the VPC conference, Animal Control Technologies Australia have made an award at the last four AVPC conferences.  The award is for Practical Pest Management Excellence.  The winner receives sponsorship to attend this year's AVPC conference - see above - and is acknowledged for their outstanding achievements at the grass roots level of pest management.  

This is a great opportunity for someone who might not normally be able to attend this important event.  $1500 cash towards travel, accommodation and registration is provided.  

Send your nominations now to chris.lane@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

2008 AWMS conference

The 2008 Australasian Wildlife Management Society (AWMS)  Conference will be held at the Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Western Australia from 24-27 November.  The theme of the conference is 'Human Impacts on Wildlife", encompassing such topics as invasie and threatened species, climate change, habitat disturbance and sustainable use of wildlife.  the 2008 conference will feature a number of high profile invited speakers as well as a fantastic student symposium and prizes.  

Important dates:

• August 29 - closing date for submission of abstracts (oral/ poster)
• September 20 - authors advised of acceptance of abstracts
• October 17 - early bird registration closes
• November 24-27 conference. 

[Conference brochure here]   [Conference poster here] [more info]

Monitoring techniques for vertebrate pests

Click  [here] to visit a NSW Department of Primary Industries website that contains a number of downloadable monitoring technique manuals for some of the main pest animal species.  Adoption/adaption of these manuals as a model of best practise will help improve the consistency and accuracy of pest animal distribution/density data being fed into the national mapping process. 

Expressions of interest - Leadership & Communication trainers/facilitators

The Invasive Animals CRC Education Program is seeking expressions of interest from trainers/facilitators able to run intermittent week-long courses in leadership and communication skills at camps for graduate students during 2008/2009. 

Interested parties should contact the IA CRC Education Program Coordinator Tom Heinsohn, on 02 6201 2535 or Thomas.Heinsohn@canberra.edu.au.

WWF community grants open

The World Wildlife Fund's round 11 community grants program is now open.  Funding is available for threatened species conservation projects.  For more information [visit the website].

Short course in diagnostic testing

The Australian Biosecurity CRC is offering a 3-day course targeted primarily at scientists involved in the application of diagnostic tests in the field, including PhD students, researchers and animal health professionals.  The course will be held at Curtin Health Research Campus in Perth on 13-15 May and also at CSIRO Geelong on 22-24 July.  [read more]

ABS Natural Resource Management Survey 06-07

The Australian Bureau of Statistics ran its second Natural Resource Management Survey for the 2006-2007 financial year to gather information from Australian farmers about their thoughts and activities in relation to natural resource management (nrm) issues and management. A copy of this year's survey is attached.

One of the large sections of interest of the survey, is concerned with the effect of pests (including parasites) on agricultural properties.   The ABS was primarily concerned with the type of pests present, the extent of pest-related issues, the activities undertaken to address these issues and both the labour (in terms of days allocated to activities) and financial cost of pest-related issues to the property.

As a part of the data analysis, the ABS conduct a process of data confrontation so as to determine how robust their estimates are - that is, they utilise external and internal data to compare against the estimates of the NRM Survey.

The ABS are interested in any data that may be able to assist  in their data confrontation process.   If you can help, please contact sarah.pitchford@abs.gov.au or phone 03 62225989.

Report: intersection of climate change and aquatic invasive species management

A new report says states should consider climate change in managing aquatic invasive species.  An e-version of the report is available free of charge from the Environmental Law Institute website at htp://www.eli.org/Program_Areas/land_biodiversity_pubs.cfm#invasive

Federal Agriculture Department reviews quarantine and biosecurity arrangements

For information, visit the websites http://www.quarantinebiosecurityreview.gov.au and

http://www.quarantinebiosecurityreview.gov.au/issues_paper

The government has announced a two month extension to the deadline for submissions to 28 April 2008.