Business & Rural
7 April, 2026
Managing pests and weeds in new farm fodder
To minimise the risk of these weeds and pests establishing across your farm, make sure all purchased fodder is fed in a designated containment area, feedpad or sacrifice paddock, which has been sited to mitigate risks.
IF purchasing fodder to see the farm through to the autumn break, or build reserves coming into winter, don’t forget to consider the increased risks of introducing pests and weeds to the property.
To minimise the risk of these weeds and pests establishing across your farm, make sure all purchased fodder is fed in a designated containment area, feedpad or sacrifice paddock, which has been sited to mitigate risks.
When purchasing feed, farmers are encouraged to request a Commodity Vendor Declaration with every load. Declarations contain background information about the fodder source, including whether it has been sprayed or treated with chemicals that are still within a withholding period (WHP), export slaughter interval (ESI) or export animal feed interval (EAFI).
When buying from interstate, there are no restrictions or permit requirements for fodder coming from the Northern Territory (NT) or Tasmania (Tas). Fodder coming from all other jurisdictions requires either a plant health certificate or a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria.
This is to protect Victoria from exotic pests and pathogens that could be spread by transported fodder.
Visit the Agriculture Victoria website for more information.
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