Mayor's Column: Biosecurity Week: Protecting our farms and our future

Published on 27 August 2025

This week is National Biosecurity Week, a reminder of how important it is to protect our land, water and way of life from invasive pests and weeds.

Here in the Macleay, our primary producers are on the frontline of this challenge. One weed causing major concern is Tropical Soda Apple (TSA). After the recent floods, TSA has spread rapidly across parts of our shire and has the potential to take over pastures, reduce productivity and make land unusable for grazing.

For our cattle and dairy farmers, this means less feed, higher costs and greater stress on top of an already tough season.

TSA is particularly difficult to manage, with each plant capable of producing up to 150 fruits and each fruit containing as many as 400 seeds. These seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to 10 years, making eradication extremely challenging.

Ongoing control programs are essential, and funded support is needed to assist private property owners with the proper disposal and long-term management of TSA.

Council is working closely with industry, government agencies and landholders to tackle this problem, but biosecurity requires all of us to play a part, by reporting outbreaks, monitoring our properties and helping to contain infestations before they spread further

I want to thank our local producers for their resilience and vigilance. You continue to recover from floods and disasters, your strength and commitment to our community never wavers.

Biosecurity Week is about awareness and action. If you see Tropical Soda Apple or any other unusual weed or pest, report it. Together, we can protect our farms, our environment and the future of our shire.

If you’re unsure how to identify or dispose of TSA, contact Kempsey Shire Council on (02) 6566 3200 or email ksc@kempsey.nsw.gov.au.