Australia grants an emergency permit allowing the use of a potent bait to control a rapidly expanding mice infestation affecting crop-growing regions. The decision comes as farmers confront escalating disruption linked to the infestation and related economic pressures. The mice problem includes damage to both crops and stored food, with reports that rodents attack emerging plants, consume and spoil stored grain, and chew through electrical cables and other infrastructure components. Officials move to expand control measures to prevent further losses while the infestation spreads. The permit is framed as an emergency response because of the scale and urgency of the problem across multiple growing areas. Separate reports point to broader farm strains and the potential for compounding impacts from wider conditions, including expectations of worsening weather linked to El Niño, alongside other economic challenges. Overall, sources agree the emergency authorization is intended to help protect crops and reduce damage to farm assets during the infestation.