Answers to Questions

SNAIL PLAGUES

In reply to the Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (20 July 2012).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations): I have been advised:

1. Snails are widely established pests in South Australia that affect grain quality in some seasons. Consistent with other established pests, individual management decisions by farmers determine the amount of damage by snails. In this situation, direct funding by government is not appropriate as it shifts the risks to taxpayers and removes incentives for farmers to apply best management practices to their own crops.

Instead, the state government continues to support the research and extension programs conducted by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) over many years to provide farmers with the tools to manage this problem.

2. In recent years, Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) has worked closely with leading industry groups such as the Grains Industry Market Access Forum to manage market access issues that may arise from snail contamination of export grain.

SARDI has been involved in snail research since the 1980's. SARDI scientists are national leaders on the biology and impacts of snails in cereals and their management. They have conducted research on: biological control in collaboration with CSIRO; cultural control methods using burning and bashing of stubbles to reduce populations before sowing; and on bait treatments.

SARDI and PIRSA staff have also conducted extension programs to educate farmers on snail management and produced an integrated management guide for farmers called 'Bash'em, Burn'em, Bait'em' with support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the South Australian Grains Industry Trust. It is planned that this guide will be updated next year. These and other extension publications on snail management are currently available from the GRDC.

3. SARDI scientists are and will continue to be involved in trials to evaluate the snail eating nematode in South Australia.