SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Farmers in Australia's most populated state will no longer have to prove kangaroos are damaging their land to get licenses to kill the animals.

The change announced Monday in New South Wales has angered conservation groups, who say it will open the way for a fully fledged kangaroo meat industry.

Under existing regulations, farmers had to prove kangaroos were causing significant damage to crops and pastures to obtain a license to cull. The number of kangaroos killed could vary from farm to farm, but no more than 17 percent of the total state kangaroo population of some 7.5 million animals could be shot.

New rules mean farmers will no longer have to prove kangaroos are damaging the land to obtain a license, but it will not alter the percentage of kangaroos that can be killed statewide, the state said.

The changes also prohibit mustering or trapping of kangaroos before shooting, and say they cannot be killed for their skins alone.

Farmers can cull only four of some 45 kangaroo species in Australia - the Eastern Gray, Western Gray, Red Kangaroo and Wallaroo.