New survey reveals Fall Armyworm’s growing impact on dairy farms
04 October 2026
A new Dairy Australia survey has highlighted the significant impact Fall Armyworm (FAW) is having on dairy farms across eastern Australia, with the pest now established as a recurring threat to forage and feed production.
The findings provide valuable insights into where FAW is causing damage, the financial consequences for farm businesses and the strategies farmers are using to manage the risk.
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) has spread rapidly across Australia in recent years, affecting agricultural regions in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. While traditionally known for attacking maize and sorghum, the pest has increasingly been found in annual ryegrass, oats, barley, wheat and some permanent pastures.
To better understand the scale of the issue and learn from farmers’ experiences, Dairy Australia partnered with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Queensland’s Departments of Primary Industries, NSW Local Land Services, Norco Agri Solutions, Plant Health Australia and the University of Melbourne’s Rural Innovation Research Group to conduct a national survey. The survey gathered feedback from 121 dairy farmers and 16 farm advisors, covering farms from Far North Queensland through to South-west Victoria.
The results show just how widespread the pest has become. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of surveyed farms reported a direct FAW infestation since 2023, with 2024 identified as the worst year for damage. In some cases, farmers reported total or near-total losses in maize crops and autumn-sown pastures. Overall, 12% of the farm area on affected properties experienced forage damage during their worst year of infestation.
The financial consequences can be substantial. Across 29 farms that provided clear cost estimates, the combined impact exceeded $1.24 million. Farmers reported expenses associated with insecticide applications, replacement feed purchases, resowing paddocks and lost production. Some also reported reduced grazing availability, lower silage quality and reduced starch content in forage crops, leading to flow-on impacts for herd feeding and milk production.
Maize was identified as the crop most heavily affected by FAW. Sorghum was also significantly impacted, particularly on northern farms. However, one of the survey’s more important findings was the extent to which the pest is spreading beyond its preferred hosts. Around 34% of farms that experienced FAW reported infestations in other forages including ryegrass, oats, other cereals, kikuyu, millet and lucerne. Some farms that did not grow maize or sorghum also reported infestations, suggesting the pest can arrive from surrounding areas and establish in alternative feed sources.
The survey also highlighted the severe impact FAW can have on autumn-sown pastures. Some farmers reported losses of up to 100%, with a number needing to resow paddocks more than once during 2024. These losses can create significant feed shortages and disrupt grazing plans at critical times of the year.
Advisors involved in the survey identified several factors that may increase future infestation risk, including environmental conditions, late sowing of summer crops, early sowing of winter crops and pastures, and a history of previous FAW activity. They also stressed the importance of managing populations early rather than relying on insecticides alone, noting that no insecticide is 100% effective against FAW.
Another key finding was that monitoring remains underused. Many farmers reported only discovering FAW after visible damage had already occurred. Advisers noted that regular crop and pasture inspections, combined with monitoring tools such as traps, are not yet being widely used as part of decision-making. Earlier detection could help farmers respond before damage reaches economically significant levels.
The survey also revealed emerging concerns about native armyworm, with many respondents reporting damage in maize, ryegrass, kikuyu, oats and other cereal crops during recent seasons. This reinforces the need for farmers and advisers to remain vigilant for a range of pasture and crop pests.
Early preparation, regular monitoring and learning from the experiences of others can help reduce the risk of severe forage losses and minimise the impact of this increasingly common pest.
To help dairy farmers prepare for and manage fall armyworm, Dairy Australia has developed a range of practical resources, including monitoring guides, identification tools, decision-support resources and farmer case studies. These resources draw on the latest research as well as the lived experiences of dairy farmers dealing with FAW on their own farms. For more information and access to the latest fall armyworm resources, visit Dairy Australia’s Fall Armyworm information page.
Dairy Australia is also investing in the National Fall Armyworm Facilitation Project, which aims to improve cross-industry collaboration, identify research and development needs, increase awareness of RD&E investments, and support the translation of research into practical outcomes for growers and advisers.
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) has spread rapidly across Australia in recent years, affecting agricultural regions in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. While traditionally known for attacking maize and sorghum, the pest has increasingly been found in annual ryegrass, oats, barley, wheat and some permanent pastures.
To better understand the scale of the issue and learn from farmers’ experiences, Dairy Australia partnered with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Queensland’s Departments of Primary Industries, NSW Local Land Services, Norco Agri Solutions, Plant Health Australia and the University of Melbourne’s Rural Innovation Research Group to conduct a national survey. The survey gathered feedback from 121 dairy farmers and 16 farm advisors, covering farms from Far North Queensland through to South-west Victoria.
The results show just how widespread the pest has become. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of surveyed farms reported a direct FAW infestation since 2023, with 2024 identified as the worst year for damage. In some cases, farmers reported total or near-total losses in maize crops and autumn-sown pastures. Overall, 12% of the farm area on affected properties experienced forage damage during their worst year of infestation.
The financial consequences can be substantial. Across 29 farms that provided clear cost estimates, the combined impact exceeded $1.24 million. Farmers reported expenses associated with insecticide applications, replacement feed purchases, resowing paddocks and lost production. Some also reported reduced grazing availability, lower silage quality and reduced starch content in forage crops, leading to flow-on impacts for herd feeding and milk production.
Maize was identified as the crop most heavily affected by FAW. Sorghum was also significantly impacted, particularly on northern farms. However, one of the survey’s more important findings was the extent to which the pest is spreading beyond its preferred hosts. Around 34% of farms that experienced FAW reported infestations in other forages including ryegrass, oats, other cereals, kikuyu, millet and lucerne. Some farms that did not grow maize or sorghum also reported infestations, suggesting the pest can arrive from surrounding areas and establish in alternative feed sources.
The survey also highlighted the severe impact FAW can have on autumn-sown pastures. Some farmers reported losses of up to 100%, with a number needing to resow paddocks more than once during 2024. These losses can create significant feed shortages and disrupt grazing plans at critical times of the year.
Advisors involved in the survey identified several factors that may increase future infestation risk, including environmental conditions, late sowing of summer crops, early sowing of winter crops and pastures, and a history of previous FAW activity. They also stressed the importance of managing populations early rather than relying on insecticides alone, noting that no insecticide is 100% effective against FAW.
Another key finding was that monitoring remains underused. Many farmers reported only discovering FAW after visible damage had already occurred. Advisers noted that regular crop and pasture inspections, combined with monitoring tools such as traps, are not yet being widely used as part of decision-making. Earlier detection could help farmers respond before damage reaches economically significant levels.
The survey also revealed emerging concerns about native armyworm, with many respondents reporting damage in maize, ryegrass, kikuyu, oats and other cereal crops during recent seasons. This reinforces the need for farmers and advisers to remain vigilant for a range of pasture and crop pests.
Early preparation, regular monitoring and learning from the experiences of others can help reduce the risk of severe forage losses and minimise the impact of this increasingly common pest.
To help dairy farmers prepare for and manage fall armyworm, Dairy Australia has developed a range of practical resources, including monitoring guides, identification tools, decision-support resources and farmer case studies. These resources draw on the latest research as well as the lived experiences of dairy farmers dealing with FAW on their own farms. For more information and access to the latest fall armyworm resources, visit Dairy Australia’s Fall Armyworm information page.
Dairy Australia is also investing in the National Fall Armyworm Facilitation Project, which aims to improve cross-industry collaboration, identify research and development needs, increase awareness of RD&E investments, and support the translation of research into practical outcomes for growers and advisers.