Declaring buffel grass a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) is a rushed and poorly informed decision according to a representative of the National Farmers’ Federation. 

Buffel grass is a summer-growing perennial species that is widely used in the agricultural industry to feed cattle, due to its durability in times of drought. It was first introduced to Australia in the 1960s and 70s. 

In July, buffel grass was officially declared a weed in the Northern Territory after it contributed to the spread of major bushfires in 2023. South Australia declared it a weed in 2015.

Environmental groups are calling to declare buffel grass a weed nationally because they say it wipes out native plants and its high fuel load contributes to bushfires. 

Angus Atkinson is the NFF Sustainable Development and Climate Chair and a farmer in Coonabarabran. 

He is firmly against declaring buffel grass a weed. 

“It is a high-yielding plant renowned for its resilience in arid regions. It also provides significant environmental co-benefits, including land rehabilitation and erosion mitigation which is conveniently ignored by environmental groups,” Mr Atkinson said. 

Nonetheless, he acknowledged there are downsides that mean it still needs to be carefully managed. 

“Famers understand that contentious plants like buffel grass, in areas where they are not wanted, need to be managed.” 

“We have no problem with that at all and would be really actively engaged in a process to facilitate that.” 

Mr Atkinson said buffel grass can be managed by mixing it with other species, such as winter-growing legumes that feed nitrogen back into the soil. 

A national ban would affect New South Wales less than central Queensland where a large part of the beef industry relies heavily on buffel as a feed source. 

“The people that I speak to, particularly in Queensland, they just can’t emphasise enough how a productive grass like that enables them to manage their ground cover, particularly in relation to water quality and soil erosion,” said Mr Atkinson.

He says there are no viable alternatives to buffel grass. 

“The alternative is to go back to unproductive native grasses.”

 Before focusing on buffel grass, Mr Atkinson said other environmental issues should have priority.

“We should work towards getting weeds that all stakeholders agree are bad, for example blackberries or African boxthorn, under control.” 

“It’s frustrating that farmers are trying their best to produce nutritious, cost-effective food and are having to deal with something else.” 

The NSW Department of Primary Industries advises sowing buffel grass in late summer to early autumn at a sowing rate of 0.5 to 3 kilograms per hectare.