INVETUS is a partner in a major project “$9.2m to help turn dung into dollars.”

On 15th May 2017, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce announced in Casino, that Meat & Livestock Australia is receiving funding for a major project looking at ways to use dung beetles to increase farm productivity and profitability.

We are thrilled to advise that Invetus is one of 12 project partners, including CSIRO, MLA, Universities and farmers, participating this project to help farmers harness the potential of dung beetles as 'ecosystem engineers', which can improve soil health, reduce the spread of flies, pests and diseases, increase pasture health and reduce nutrient run off into waterways. Invetus will lead the mass rearing, distribution and site monitoring to ensure establishment of new species of beetles.

The Minister's Media Release can be found here.

This is great news for Invetus and for the farming community:

• It is important research which will improve productivity for farmers, and meets our charter "…to enrich us and our environment."
• It allows Invetus and the project partners to form strong working relationships;
• It will probably lead to hiring opportunities in Armidale;
• It contributes to the future growth of Invetus, both expertise and skills, as well as return.

For more information about Invetus’ involvement, please contact Dr Tim Elliott at our parasitology lab in Armidale (telliott@invetus.com)