1080 a proven scientific pest controller

1080 has an important role in the country's overall pest control strategy while protecting our economic growth.

When it comes to getting 'real' scientific facts together on 1080 you might be interested to know that in 2010 Federated Farmers and Forest & Bird established a joint initiative to help educate the public about the importance of controlling introduced mammalian pests, such as possums and rabbits, in New Zealand.

The initiative, which is supported by a wide range of conservation and farming organisations and is organised by the Pest Control Education Trust, focuses on public education about the use of 1080 in New Zealand and its important role in the country's overall pest control strategy.

The Trust's website www.1080facts.co.nz, receives a large amount of support from a wide range of the New Zealand public. An example of feedback includes: "It is great to see a place where scientific facts are available from a reliable source and not an anti 1080 website. Also it's good to have somewhere where you are able to have your opinion without being abused and threatened for it.

Another comment made is that farmers are well aware of the critical role 1080 plays in our battle to protect agriculture from bovine tuberculosis. "But there's a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding out there surrounding the use of 1080".

The recent concerns relating to 1080 and fish has led to the PCET producing a scientific based fact sheet highlighting that studies of native and introduced freshwater fish have shown that fish are highly resistant to 1080, even when exposed in field trials to very high concentrations of 1080 in water and food.

For example, the concentrations of 1080 found in eels are so low that to risk death a 60kg person would need to catch and eat 5.5 tonnes of eel that had eaten 1080 contaminated possums.

It needs to be reaffirmed that the use of 1080, especially in inaccessible areas, will continue as the main choice for the control of pests such as possums and rabbits. Research into viable alternatives is highly favoured by Federated Farmer members but until there is a proven acceptable alternative we must use the most effective tools available.

Like a majority of the New Zealand public I enjoy nothing better than seeing our economy growing and our native bush areas flourishing -- 1080 is an equivocal part of this equation. A Tb free agriculture sector and a reduction in exotic vermin such as possums is important to ensuring the protection of our native flora and fauna, along with a productive agricultural economy.