Velvetleaf response stepped up

Teams of staff from Environment Southland will be heading out to farms this week in an effort to locate outbreaks of the pest weed velvetleaf.

This aggressive weed has been identified in contaminated fodder beet seeds throughout the country and the search is on to find plants and halt their spread.

Under the direction of the Ministry for Primary Industries, Environment Southland will be leading the local response with support from Emergency Management Southland.

Environment Southland biosecurity manager Richard Bowman said two sites with velvetleaf have been identified in Southland and farmers are urged to check any fodder beet crops for signs of the plant.

Sales of the contaminated seed batches are also being tracked. Farmers who have been identified as having purchased contaminated seed will be contacted and a time arranged for their crops to be inspected by a team led by Environment Southland biosecurity staff.

Over 100 properties in Southland are believed to have the seed from the Kyros and Bangor varieties, which have been confirmed to be contaminated with velvetleaf seed.

Due to the volume of inspections required, Emergency Management Southland’s Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to play a coordinating role through the provision of support and resources to the biosecurity team.

Teams will work through the Easter break in an effort to locate outbreaks before the seed drops and the potential for spread is increased.

Environment Southland chief executive Rob Phillips said the regional council was treating the situation very seriously and had swung into action quickly, drawing together a wide range of relevant staff and expertise.

“The time to act is now. This pest plant can have a potentially devastating effect on pastoral production and I’m committed to making the most of this small window of opportunity we have to stop it becoming established in Southland,” Mr Phillips said.

Velvetleaf is a serious weed pest overseas, damaging crops by competing with them for nutrients and water. It is an ‘unwanted organism’ under the Biosecurity Act and we don’t want it in Southland.

Farmers who suspect they may have velvetleaf on their property should report this immediately to MPI on 0800 80 99 66. Plants should be photographed and their locations marked so they can be found easily again.

ENDS

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