Combating weeds gets government backing

A new national Cooperative Research Centre to combat weeds has been given the thumbs up by the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources, Senator Nick Minchin.

The new CRC for Australian Weed Management will incorporate organisations from all States and Territories.

"Weeds cost Australians billions of dollars every year," says Associate Professor Rick Roush, Director of the current Weeds CRC. "Whilst our current CRC continues to produce enormous benefits, it is important to expand that collaborative research across the entire nation and thereby build a network that increases these benefits well into the future".

"Weeds don't get the attention they deserve, until it is almost too late to do anything," says Dr Jim Cullen, Chief of CSIRO Entomology and current Weeds CRC Board Member. "Part of the appeal of this bid for a national weed CRC is the focus on the so called sleeper weeds, those plants that are already here but haven't yet popped their heads up as major issues.

The Weeds CRC is moving towards more pro-active research in weed prevention and control.

For further information please contact either Associate Professor Rick Roush (Director Weeds CRC) on 08 8303 6590 or Dr Jim Cullen (Chief CSIRO Entomology) on 02 6246 4025.

Item provided courtesy of CSIRO