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The 'Communities Combating Pest and Weed Impacts During Drought Program— Biosecurity Management of Pests and Weeds' provides funding to eligible local councils to support the management of pest animal and weed impacts on agriculture and the environment during drought.

Round 1 delivered $15 million for 48 projects in 2018–19. Round 2 of the program is delivering a further $10 million in 2019-20 and 2020-21 towards 23 on-ground pest animal and weed management projects.

The objectives of the program are to:

• stimulate economic activity in areas where projects take place
• facilitate local employment in areas where projects take place
• increase farm business profitability
• assist communities manage the negative impact of pest animals and weeds during drought on agricultural production
• contribute to the government’s broader biosecurity objectives
• provide pest animal and weed control benefits to communities where projects take place.

The intended outcomes of the program are that:

• the detrimental economic, social and environmental impacts of pest animals and weeds during drought are reduced
• Councils and other groups such as Landcare work together to reduce the impacts of pest animals and weeds in eligible local government areas
• the use and uptake of innovative natural resource management technologies and best management practices are increased
• the information, financial and institutional capacity of communities and their participation in natural resource management is increased.