Every day this year 92 feral pigs have been culled as part of a targeted aerial shooting operation run by the NSW government.
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Wet conditions are creating the ideal environment for pest animal populations to explode with NSW Farmers members reporting an increase in the number of wild dogs and pigs, while deer were expanding their territory.
Farmers calling for practical and workable solutions to control the surging number of feral animals comes as more than 19,500 feral pigs were targeted in the latest government operation.
Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said controlling feral pigs was critical with the current threat of foot and mouth disease (FMD) our doorstep.
"There is a definite concern that if FMD was to enter our country, it could be spread through feral pig populations across NSW," Mr Saunders said.
"Protecting ourselves from biosecurity threats is a shared responsibility, and pest animal management is something every rural landholder can do to play their part."
Last year, Mr Saunders said coordinated pest animal control activities were carried out on more than 40 million hectares of land across NSW.
"The more landholders who are actively participating in these programs, the more effective they are at reducing pest animal populations," Mr Saunders said.
NSW Farmers western division council chair Gerard Glover said there were a lot of feral cats appearing on cameras that had been set up across the region but pigs and dogs remained the main concern for farmers.
"Far and away... the pigs and the dogs are the most destructive, tearing up paddocks and fences, and attacking livestock," Mr Glover said.
"In my experience you need good, co-ordinated controls that everyone sticks to, otherwise you get these population explosions and the whole problem starts again."
Neil Baker, a farmer in the Tweed, said there were shocking reports of livestock being attacked by feral animals.
"We're really very concerned that these pests aren't being properly controlled by some public and private landholders, and that's giving them safe haven to breed and grow their territory," Mr Baker said.
"The rules around controlling pest animals are clear, and it's about time everyone was held to the same standard."
- Landholders looking for advice on pest animal control or wanting to take part in group control programs can contact their closest Local Land Services office by calling 1300 795 299.
