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African lovegrass has been announced as a new national priority weed for Australia.
African lovegrass is a challenge in the northern part of the Limestone Coast region. It has invaded pasture and crops and is expensive to control.
Recently, the National Biosecurity Committee accepted African lovegrass as a national established weed priority.
Dr. Penny Schulz, chair of the Limestone Coast Landscape Board said, ‘The listing of African lovegrass as a national priority demonstrates the threat this pest grass poses to agriculture and the environment.
‘The Limestone Coast Landscape Board has been working on African lovegrass control for the past five years. We’ve been controlling African lovegrass on roadsides and working with PIRSA to deliver on-farm practical assistance to landholders in the northern part of the region.’
‘We’ve had some wins already by being vigilant and controlling several outbreaks in the southern part of the Limestone Coast region to make sure priority agriculture areas remain African lovegrass free,’ she said.
The Limestone Coast Landscape Board coordinated input from various agencies and community groups across Australia to make the submission to the National Biosecurity Commission.
Mayor Liz Goossens of the Tatiara District Council was delighted with the outcome.
‘Landholders in the Tatiara region have been extremely concerned by the impacts of African lovegrass to primary production. The benefit the listing has is that it can help jurisdictions work together to tap into potential national funding to accelerate finding solutions to better control this pest grass.’
