IT'S not only graziers out west who are struggling with an oversupply of kangaroos - people with grain planted around Roma and St George are reporting the total decimation of their crops thanks to macropod pressure.
John Stewart's 400ha wheat crop at Wycombe was only 8cm high when it was eaten to the ground recently, and Charles Nason at Banoona, 50km south of Roma, has gas guns and electric fencing up as a defence against the kangaroos trying to get at his 400ha of oats, 300ha of chickpeas and 200ha of barley.
Together with Mr Stewart's mother, Balonne shire mayor Donna Stewart, they are calling for proper attention to the problems kangaroos are causing to both their economic and environmental sustainability, and to the productivity of rural areas.
"Governments have to start thinking about the people who put food on the table and get their priorities right," Cr Stewart said.
"Crops are struggling with the lack of rain anyway, but now they are being wiped out before our eyes."
Mr Stewart said his young wheat plants were "travelling along okay" for about three weeks until the kangaroos discovered it, after which it was annihilated within a week. Other cultivation at Surat hasn't been so severely affected, which he says is thanks to other crops nearby and a problem shared.
"If it rains the wheat might come back, but then it will be late and behind time," he said.
"It's going to put a big hole in my income."
Cr Stewart called upon state and federal governments to put more work into opening up foreign markets for kangaroo meat, and to allow farmers to shoot kangaroos on their land without the need for going through a permit system.
"We've tried to get professional shooters out but there's not as many and there's no markets for them," she said.
"It's heartbreaking to see all your work disappear, and next year's income."
Mr Nason said that most properties were short-staffed and people were working 12 to 15 hours a day as it was, without going out shooting at night as well.
He has invested in gas guns similar to those used by orchardists to scare off kangaroos, along with 4500v electric fencing with trip wires. He says these tactics slow the kangaroos down but the determined ones still go through.
As well as losing income, he said the loss of canopy was allowing weeds to grow thicker, and soil moisture was being lost.
He had thought about planting prickly safflower but the protection wasn't provided by the young plant.
Mr Nason said the onslaught was to be expected, being the only patch of green feed in the area, and not having any regular harvesting taking place any more.
"If you're near State forest or a patch of timber, you're in trouble," he said.
