Boots on the ground: producers plea for support amid fire ant battle

The numbers of fire ant affected areas has increased throughout the Scenic Rim and many producers are battling infestations on their own with limited resources.

One such producer, Canungra, Qld, dairy farmer Tom Brook said the battle to eradicate this super pest was relentless and that their local community were trying their absolute best to eradicate the invasive pest .

Mr Brook spoke with local MP Jon Krause about the issue and highlighted the need for subsidies for landholders to be part of the fire ant eradication program.

"The trouble we are having now is getting our hands on the baits, you go to buy them and there is very limited stock or none at all," he said.

"We just bought a $24 four-kilo bucket of chemicals the other day and I distributed that in about three hours, finding the nests after it had rained...it is the best time to find them because the ants look for higher ground.

"Where we are, it's sandy country and it's a bit easier digging for them, they don't really go down to the black soil flats when it's wet.

"We have a big dam at home and when I walked along the top of it, there were hundreds of nests about two or three metres apart."

In addition to decimating crops, fire ant swarms can kill large animals and whilst he is yet to lose any of his livestock, Mr Brook said he had observed the impact they were beginning to have on his dairy cows.

"The dairy cows are coming in with blisters on their udders, it's becoming an animal welfare issue," he said.

"My wife was bitten the other day as well."

Mr Brook said that sheer scale of the fire ant spread has become hard to keep on top of despite extensive use of available baits and chemicals.

"I find the chemicals more effective then the baits, once the ants get a sense they are getting baited they swarm again," he said.

"Today, I was slashing in an open cab tractor and they were all on the tractor. They were around the tractor trying to look for somewhere to land...I must have disturbed a nest when I was slashing."

Part of Mr Brook's operation is hay production which he usually supplies to other producers, but he is currently only making hay for his own use.

"We aren't selling any at the moment because it's too big of a risk, the infestation is that bad...I don't want to be liable for them going all over the countryside," he said.

"There are about 200 to 300 nests in the paddock. The requirement of the eradication regulations is that hay needs to be raked twice in a 24-hour period and be kept off the ground which we do, but there are still ants in there."

Mr Brook said while he understands that the government needs to take action, most of the people he knew were fighting the fire ants themselves and would prefer to have assistance in the way of subsidies or resources.

"Look after the larger landholders and keep the fire ant eradication teams involved in the residential areas and let the farmers do their job...we are on the land every day," he said.

"My neighbours are all doing it themselves, we are all talking to each other about it and trying to get around it."