A group of those “frustrated farmers” shared their experiences with Federal Minister for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon today.

Mr Fitzgibbon was visiting Bega with Member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly and stopped by Noel Watson’s property on the Snowy Mountains Hwy to speak with local farmers and members of the Bega Valley Fireweed Association (BVFA).

“If it wasn’t toxic we [the BVFA] probably wouldn’t be here,” Mr Watson said.

“But it is toxic – it has killed people, it has killed livestock and it’s spreading.

“It hasn’t reached its full potential and we don’t know how far it will go,” he said, referring to a number of research studies into fireweed.

Mr Watson said he and many other Bega Valley farmers spend tens of thousands of dollars on chemicals to attempt to control the weed, “but there’s no controls existing that I know of that doesn’t also poison the land and ourselves”.

Mr Fitzgibbon’s visit coincided with $20million Federal Government funding announcement for a “war on weeds”, some of which seems destined for fireweed control projects – if Labor is re-elected in September.

“I haven’t come here to be persuaded there is a problem,” the newly appointed Minister for Agriculture said.

“I was persuaded on that long ago by Mike [Kelly].

“We come convinced and we come with the money.”

Mr Fitzgibbon outlined three strands of funding – practical work “on the ground”, further cooperation, and research and development.

However, he said no funding allocations can be made during Parliament’s caretaker period - only a commitment that if re-elected, the money would be there.

* READ MORE IN FRIDAY’S BDN