Farmers play an integral part in supplying Australians with a constant and safe food supply. It’s essential to point out that there’s more to this process than tending to fields and harvesting at the right time.
Investing in the pest control services Melbourne locals use allows farmers to grow and store their harvests until they’re ready to be shipped out to markets. This post takes a look at the top reasons why, as a farmer, you should invest in professional pest control throughout your agricultural business.
Pest Control Helps to Safeguard Your Harvest
Farmers are just as much at risk of dealing with pests around their storerooms as any other business. Depending on the types of storage you have, your agricultural business may be more at risk of attracting certain pests. We’ve compiled a list of reasons why pest control is essential.
Prevent Produce From Getting Contaminated
Produce and seeds stored in storage can easily become contaminated if pests such as rats, mice, cockroaches, and ants move in. Since many of these pests carry diseases, having them run over your crops or live in your supplies can spread disease to your harvest.
This can make the whole harvest in that store room inconsumable, which can hamper your profits and affect the local food chain that depends on your harvest. A professional pest controller will use environmentally friendly products that are safe to use around seeds as well as dry and fresh produce.
Protects the Health of Animals
If you have livestock on your farm, it’s important to point out that some pests, such as moles, can increase the risk of listeria contamination. Other pests, such as rats and cockroaches, can spread disease to animals.
Parasites such as lice, worms, and flies can live on your livestock and make them sick. This not only contaminates the animal but increases the risk of diseases spreading to other animals. Farms with poultry are at increased risk of animal contamination.
Protects Equipment and Surrounding Buildings
Some pests, such as termites and other wood-boring ants, can do significant damage to your buildings. This is especially the case if you have wooden structures such as barns or sheds on your farm. Termites will easily eat away at anything made of wood, which can result in significant structural damage.
Rats, mice, and other rodents are also well known for chewing through wiring in equipment and machinery. This will leave you having to contend with the pest problem and the cost of repairing or replacing the machinery. Having all your barns, sheds, and garages routinely sprayed for pests will ensure that your machinery and buildings remain in good condition.
Makes Your Business Complaint
As a farmer in Australia, you will know that using professional pest control isn’t mandatory, especially when it comes to the safe storage of harvests. However, the use of pesticides is strictly regulated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
This means that using pesticides in fields and storage should only be applied by professionals to ensure responsible and safe use. With this in mind, experts recommend using certified pest controllers who have experience with mixing the right solution for your specific property needs.
Pest Controllers are Experts
There are several reasons to use a professional pest controller rather than opting for DIY treatments. Here are the most significant:
- Professional pest controllers are certified in mixing and applying solutions according to the regulated specifications. This ensures that the correct solutions are applied for the types of pests you’re dealing with.
- Professionally mixed solutions are environmentally friendly and, can be applied around people and animals, and are also safe to use in your storerooms, barns and sheds.
- Part of the professional pest control process involves checking and assessing your whole property to identify any potential risk areas. This includes identifying potential nesting areas as well as spaces that may be encouraging pests to move in. Open dustbins and wood piles are typical examples of this.
- You can also schedule follow-up visits to ensure that your farm and storage facilities are routinely checked and sprayed.
- Tips and guidelines will be provided to help keep pests and other unwanted insects from contaminating your food storage. This can involve placing bags of produce on shelves rather than leaving them on the ground. Your pest controller will also recommend placing your produce and seeds in sealed containers where possible.
- Pest controllers will also show you the types of signs to look out for so that you can identify a pest infestation without having to wait for your routine inspection. This will enable you to deal with potential pests as quickly as possible.
Final Thoughts
Investing in professional pest control is an essential part of keeping crops safe while they’re in storage. This not only ensures that your business doesn’t run at a loss when produce is eaten or contaminated but also keeps your family and employees safe from the disease pests spread. You will be glad you did!
