Summary
MEDIA RELEASE
June 25, 2008
Embargoed: 11.30 am (AEST)
64/2008
Weed management a $1.5 billion problem for Australian
Farmers: ABS
The management of weeds was the major Natural Resource Management
activity for Australian farmers, according to figures released today by the
Australian Bureau of Statistics.
During the 2006-07 financial year, farmers spent $1,574 million controlling
weeds, which is more than pests ($768 million) and land and soil problems
($649 million) combined.
The total cost of managing these problems was $2,991 million, or an average
of $21,094 per business.
Nationally, nearly two thirds of farmers reported that they had improved their
natural resource management practices. Of these, 89% reported doing so to
increase productivity, 88% for farm sustainability, and 75% to improve
environmental protection.
Other findings include:
Farmers in Australia managed 425 million hectares of land, or just over
half (55%) of Australia's land mass.
Of all expenditure on weed management, nearly two thirds ($982
million) was spent on herbicides.
Of all expenditure on pest management, over half ($430 million) was
spent on pesticides.
Erosion was the most common land and soil problem, reported by 48%
of the farmers, followed by soil compaction (43%) and soil acidity
(42%).
These findings are based on the second Natural Resource Management
survey conducted by the ABS.
More details are available in Natural Resource Management on Australian
Farms 2006-07(cat. no. 4620.0).
This page last updated 24 June 2008
© Commonwealth of Australia 2008
NEWS 
