National and State Cattle bodies are united in complete opposition to the Buffel Grass nomination progressing to detailed weed assessment.
The National Established Weed Priorities (NEWP) Framework was intended to be a science-led, merit-based system to identify truly problematic weed species. Instead, this anonymous process is open to bias and misuse, risking the mis-identification of Buffel grass species as Weeds of National Significance (WoNS).
Buffel Grass is not a weed, it is a cornerstone of Australian red meat production and food security. It is crucial to the resilience of many regional and remote communities. Moreover, it provides crucial ground cover preventing soil degradation and erosion.
What needs to happen:
– Immediate halt to the Buffel nomination
– Urgent reform of the NEWP process to ensure key economic or agronomic species are not targeted
– Establishment of Buffel as a Primary Production Strategic Asset
With the federal election approaching, this is the time for all parties to demonstrate their commitment to food security, regional areas and sustainable (drought resilient) pastures.
