Head of the APLC Chris Adriaansen will brief state and federal members today on which areas were likely to be affected and the important roles of farmers and the government.

Federal Minister for Agriculture Tony Burke said it was important local members had the latest information, given the potential damage the locust outbreak could cause and the critical role of individual landholders.

Locust hatchings are expected in late September and October in southern NSW, northern Victoria and south-eastern South Australia.

Good soil moisture in autumn and winter is expected to lead to significant hatchings and a much higher number than usual of locusts reaching maturity.

The APLC aerially treated more than 200,000 hectares of heavily infested land in north-western NSW in March, destroying an estimated eight billion locusts.

State Governments will be responsible for co-ordinating locust control when aerial spraying is not effective, particularly in areas with smaller farming blocks and power lines, and landholders will need to monitor locust egg beds and carry out spraying on their properties.

“Authorities will continue working over winter to co-ordinate the response to these hatchings,” Mr Burke said.

“This includes ordering chemicals and working with pesticide manufacturers, talking to landholders and implementing locust control in National Parks and other public lands.

For more information on locusts visit www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-heal th/locusts