Australian Farmers Deploy Stronger Mouse Bait as 10,000 Rodents per Hectare Overrun Crops
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 30
Australian Farmers Deploy Stronger Mouse Bait as 10,000 Rodents per Hectare Overrun Crops
7 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 30
Farmers in Western Australia and South Australia say mouse numbers have started to fall in recent days after regulators approved a stronger poison bait long sought during the autumn planting season.
Up to 8,000-10,000 mice per hectare were reported in some canola paddocks, far above the roughly 800-per-hectare level researchers use to define a plague.
CSIRO says a record 2025 harvest left spilled grain in fields and summer rain added fresh shoots, creating ideal feeding conditions that kept populations from crashing.
The infestation has forced growers to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on replanting and baiting, while some say diesel costs have doubled since the Iran war began in February.
Farmers still describe the outbreak as worse than the 2021 plague, though cooler winter weather, forecast rain and the stronger bait are now raising hopes of broader relief.
As a mouse plague and war costs collide, is Australia facing an unprecedented food security crisis?
Can a new super-bait and a multi-billion dollar package save Australia’s farmers from this perfect storm?
Millions of Mice: Australia’s 2026 Plague and the Battle for Farms, Towns, and Food Security
Overview
Australia is facing one of its worst mouse plagues in 2026, with millions of rodents spreading from farmlands into towns and causing severe problems for both residents and farmers. The infestation has forced businesses to throw away contaminated stock and has led to significant crop damage, as mice consume seeds and harm young plants. This crisis threatens agricultural yields and puts extra pressure on communities already struggling with the ongoing invasion. The situation in places like Morawa, where mice are moving directly from grain farms into the town, highlights the widespread and escalating impact of the plague.