Chilean needle grass gets no quarter

Chilean needle grass is most recognisable in late spring and early summer while it is flowering. It has distinctive purple seed heads with long awns.

A community-led action group is to provide Marlborough farmers with a check list to help eradicate invasive chilean needle grass as part of a new long-term strategy.

Marlborough Chilean Needle Grass Action Group chairman Warwick Lissaman said farmers throughout the region were responsible for the eradication of the pest, whether or not their property was infested.

The 15-year eradication strategy involved a voluntary hygiene plan for landowners, and was developed by the group in conjunction with the Marlborough District Council.

"We're telling every farmer in Marlborough that you have got a biosecurity requirement on your farm to keep [chilean needle grass] off your farm. You don't want this thing and you have really got to ramp up your biosecurity," Lissaman said.

This spring check-lists would be available from the action group, and would be given to every farm in the "core area", where the grass was most prominent.

That area was Blind River Loop, but Lissaman said surrounding areas in the Awatere Valley also had some occurrences of the plant, as did the Wairau Valley.

Those in the fringe areas of Blind River would also be provided with a check-list.

Chilean needle grass had been found on 143 properties in Marlborough, but most occurrences were small outbreaks.

The check-list was to provide farmers with a list of measures they could take to prevent the spread of chilean needle grass, Lissaman said.

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Chilean needle grass gets no quarter