Australia’s government says it is worried about a mouse plague in the west and is working with industry to limit the risk to food supplies.
A mouse plague is spreading in Australia’s west, and the government is now weighing up what it could mean for the country’s food supply.
In televised remarks from Sydney, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said officials are concerned about the situation, including in Western Australia, where mice have become a persistent problem in grain-growing areas. The government said it will keep working with industry to curb the impact.
Reports indicate the infestation has been hitting farms in the wheatbelt state, raising alarm among producers about how much damage could show up during the growing season.
That kind of disruption matters because mice outbreaks can turn ordinary farming risks into sudden supply pressures, affecting not only local harvest expectations but also downstream operations that depend on steady grain.
The concern intensified earlier this year when grain producers warned in April about potential crop losses. They also called for better access to more effective mice poison, pointing to how infestation levels can change quickly once conditions favor rodent surges.
Attention has also extended beyond Western Australia, with infestation levels cited as a worry in South Australia. While the scale can vary by region, officials framed the issue as one that requires coordinated action rather than one-off responses.
From the government’s perspective, the immediate priority is reducing harm to food supply chains, both within Australia and for overseas buyers that rely on the country’s grain production.
Bowen said the government would continue to work hard with industry to reduce the plague’s impact on local and overseas food supplies, describing it as difficult for farmers, industry, and governments.
For context, Australia has faced major mouse outbreaks before, including in 1993 when large areas of crops were destroyed and livestock on pig and chicken farms were affected. The memory of past damage is part of why this latest episode is being treated with urgency.
At this stage, the focus is on keeping the infestation under control quickly, because delays can make it harder to protect yields and stabilize planning for the season ahead.