Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. News and media
  4. Update: ABARES pest animal and weed survey series

Back to news - AWE

  • Back to news

Update: ABARES pest animal and weed survey series

  • Newsletter
  • Biosecurity
23 March 2023

Every three years, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences conducts the pest animal and weed management survey.

The 2022 survey (and the previous surveys conducted in 2016 and 2019) sought information from agricultural land managers about the types of impacts caused by pest animals and weeds, the cost of management, and the types and effectiveness of management control actions. In addition, the survey seeks views on preferred sources of information on pest and weed management and participation in local support networks.

Map of Australia showing percentage of respondents in each Natural Resource Management region reporting wild dogs as a major problem on their properties
Percentage of respondents in each Natural Resource Management region reporting wild dogs as a major problem on their properties (2019). Credit: DAFF

The 2022 survey attracted 5,200 respondents and will provide data and information to assist the department and other stakeholders to further understand pest and weed impacts and inform future priorities to support land managers nationally. Survey results will be published later in 2023.

Previous surveys have highlighted a number of findings, including:

  • Twenty per cent of agricultural land managers reported that they were experiencing or had experienced a considerable feral animal problem on their property. Feral animals have contributed to crop damage, decreases in livestock production and damage to infrastructure, while freshwater pests impacted water sources.
  • Twenty five percent of land managers reported major weed problems on their properties in the 2016 survey, but this dropped to 12 per cent in the 2019 survey. Similarly, reports of weed impacts on agricultural properties were down in 2019 across all impact types, likely due to reduced overall vegetation growth (including weeds) from severe, prolonged drought conditions across much of the country in 2019.
  • In 2019, 74 per cent of land managers indicated they were actively managing a pest animal on their property in the last 12 months, down slightly from 76 per cent in 2016. In both surveys, the most important action that land managers thought could improve pest animal and weed management was having new or improved control methods or tools. This included biological control tools if they become available in the future.

Previous survey results are available at https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/social-sciences/pest-animals-weed-management-survey

Image of a field of patterson's curse
Reports of weed impacts on agricultural properties were down in 2019 across all impact types. Paterson's curse, pictured, is just one example. Credit: Nyree Stenekes.

Read more articles from our Three Chiefs Newsletter

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Copy link

Related

Image of 12 eggs, two partly wrapped in white plastic or paper, with a ruler at the bottom of the image

Be a good egg this Easter and bring chocolate only

  • Newsletter
  • Biosecurity
14 April 2025
Image of seeds in a petrie dish, with a ruler in the background

Don’t let seeds cost your pocket and Australia’s environment

  • Newsletter
  • Biosecurity
09 April 2025
Image of an assortment of shipping containers and a machine being used to unload them

Updating industry on our biosecurity import clearance reforms

  • News
  • Biosecurity
08 April 2025
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 24 March 2023

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram