Last year the state government made a last-minute decision to extend the trial by another 12 months. The announcement came one day before the program was due to end.

The Wimmera Mail-Times asked the office of Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio whether the trial would continue.

"The Kangaroo Pet Food Trial was designed to explore options for reducing the waste of carcasses from kangaroos that have already been controlled through the Authority to Control Wildlife permit scheme," a government spokesperson said in a statement.

"Options are currently being considered for the future of kangaroo processing in Victoria after the trial has finished."

The trial started in 2014 as a way to reduce waste of kangaroo carcasses. It was extended for a further two years in 2016, with an end date of March 2018. The program allows permit holders in 16 local government areas to cull or remove kangaroos off private land for commercial processing.

These LGAs include the Horsham and Ararat rural city councils; and Northern Grampians, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack shire councils.

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has called on the state government to make the scheme permanent.

"This government hasn't been brave enough to come out and tell farmers it won't be continuing with the scheme. Farmers are already struggling to feed their livestock and cannot afford to carry hundreds of kangaroos as well," she said.

"For the sake of our farming communities, I call on the Andrews Government to show some guts and reinstate this program before it expires."

The Victorian Farmers Federation's Livestock Group president Leonard Vallance has also urged the state government to "take action" on kangaroo populations across the state.

"We are calling on the Victorian Government to take urgent action to ensure the proper management of kangaroos beyond the end of the month," he said.

"We have asked repeatedly for the release of the results of the 2018 kangaroo aerial survey, which was commissioned by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. The Department has had the results for weeks, yet they remain unwilling to engage or to share the report."

Opinion: VFF: Kangaroo management plan urgently needed in Victoria

The Wimmera Mail-Times has contacted the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for comment but has not received a reply.

BRIMPAEN farmer Gerard Matthews said he supported the continuation of the scheme.

"We used to have a permit because we back onto a state forest. We're looking at reapply again. We never killed a lot, but we did see the benefit. I like the concept and you might as well be using the carcasses for something productive," he said.

Mr Matthews said he lost money through crop damage and fence damage due to kangaroo destruction. He said the numbers of kangaroos at his property varied seasonally and year-to-year.

Glenisla sheep farmer Ken French said he also supported the scheme. A shooter has a permit to kill kangaroos on Mr French's property.

"He probably kills about 300 a year. There are so many kangaroos in Glenisla that you could kill thousands and it would make a difference," he said.

"We are getting benefit from it though. They should increase the number of kangaroos that can be shot."

HALLS Gap Lakeside Tourist Park owner and operator Josephina McDonald said kangaroos were a major tourism drawcard for visitors to the Grampians.

"I'm not for or against (the trial), but we need to educate people that we are living in their backyards. It would be very sad to see a time when the kangaroos don't come into caravan park," she said.

"Kangaroos are a massive attraction to our guests and they are an asset to our tourism industry. I'm not saying that we shouldn't do something to control the population, but I don't think there's an issue in Halls Gap."

Mrs McDonald said she didn't find kangaroos destructive to the caravan park's grounds.

"The kangaroos mow the grass in a way; it's the cockatoos that are destructive," she said.

THE Australian Society for Kangaroos obtained a report earlier this month under freedom of information act from The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

The report revealed that the state government was concerned about the number of kangaroos being killed for the trial. It also stated that the 80 shooters employed in the trial had killed one million kangaroos since 2014. 

Related: Kangaroo activist group condemns pet food trial extension

"The trial increased the use of carcasses for pet food and landholders experienced real benefits from the removal of kangaroo carcasses from their properties. Landholders also experienced benefits form having someone else undertake the kangaroo control for them," the report stated.

"Processors and some shooters experienced commercial and financial benefits from the program. The trial has highlighted some key risks associated with introducing a financial incentive into the Authorities to Control Wildlife system. 

"It appears that the behaviour of some shooters, who have an interest in maximsing numbers controlled, is having some influence on the number of kangaroos landholders are requesting to control. As a result, numbers approved for control have increased under the trial.

"This may not only compromise the aim of reducing waste, but could also threaten the sustainability of kangaroo population in future years."

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