Surveys completed in late autumn by staff of the Rural Lands Protection Boards and Department of Primary industries in New South Wales, Department of Primary Industries in Victoria and the Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) have identified significant adult locust activity in areas of the NSW Riverina and Central Northern Victoria throughout April.

APLC director, Chris Adriaansen, said the survey results along with reports from landholders, indicate that locust egg laying has taken place across the area.

"The result could be a significant hatching of plague locusts in October and early November which could add another threat to crops and pastures that have just survived on limited rainfall in these areas," Mr Adriaansen said.

The APLC is working closely with the NSW and Victorian departments of primary industries to plan effective control activities across the two states.

Representatives from the three agencies met this week to discuss a coordinated action plan to combat the hatchings.

The cross-border plague locust outbreak response could see the three agencies simultaneously involved in aerial surveillance, coordination of ground-based control and aerial application of locust control agents.

Despite the planning being undertaken by the government agencies, individual landholders also have an important role in responding to the locust threat.

Graeme Eggleston of NSW DPI said the most successful response to plague locust outbreaks starts with landholder action.

"For our agencies to effectively plan for and respond to this threat, landholders need to do on-the-ground locust control and report any locust egg laying activity," he said.

The APLC will be holding its regular pre-season operational planning meeting in September in the Southern Riverina.

APLC and the state agencies have also scheduled meetings with relevant environmental agencies to ensure that dealing with the locust threat also addresses the need for protection of environmentally-sensitive areas.

Habitat areas of endangered birds and mammals are being mapped so that extensive use can be made of the Metarhizium fungus, a biological control agent which specifically affects locust species.