Since its genesis in 2017-18, the Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Program has been instrumental in suppressing numbers of QFF, a serious pest that devastates yields by laying its eggs in fruit and vegetables.
But that’s set to end should the Victorian Government not renew its funding of the program beyond June this year.
State Member for Ovens Valley McCurdy said since funding began, the program had slashed QFF numbers by 95 per cent.
“But ongoing cuts have seen monitoring traps fall from over 400 to just 200,” he said.
Growers were fed up with the uncertainty and lack of long-term support from the government over the issue, Mr McCurdy said.
“Our growers are already doing it tough. They don’t need more uncertainty. The government needs to stop gambling with regional jobs and livelihoods,” he said.
Instead, Mr McCurdy is pushing for the government to commit continued funding for the program in its next budget, to be handed down in May.
“I stand with our growers, and I’ll keep pushing for the funding they deserve. This is about protecting crops, securing jobs and backing the people who feed our state,” he said.
The government did not respond to questions asking whether it would commit funding in the May budget to continue the management program.
A spokesperson said the government had invested $14.3 million to empower industry and home gardeners to embed fruit fly management in their communities — improving community and landholders’ understanding of how to best manage fruit flies on their property, placing them in a good position to limit the impact of the pest moving forward.
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