The government will introduce an eID tag discount program for NSW producers, with a 76 cent-per-tag discount available for eligible sheep and goat eID tags purchased from November 1, 2024 until October 31, 2025, or until funding is exhausted.
NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said the discount program had come as a positive step forward for producers in the transition to electronic identification for sheep and goats.
“It is the governments who mandated this traceability system, and so they must have plans to properly support producers with transitioning to the required systems,” Mr Martin said.
“We have made it very clear that we will only continue to support these traceability reforms if tag costs are reduced to economically viable levels, and we are pleased to hear the state government has stepped up to the plate and listened to our policies on this.
“However, there is a still a long road ahead for traceability reform, and the state and federal governments must continue to ensure there is sufficient and suitable funding for all producers in NSW, all the way through this transition, if this scheme is to truly be successful and harmonised.”
With just eight months until eID becomes mandatory for sheep and goats in NSW, Mr Martin urged both the state and federal governments to continue to explore all available options to ensure that national traceability can be achieved without excessive imposts and costs for sheep and goat producers.
He said more funding for tags was needed, as well as the incorporation of tag-free pathways for animals moving directly from their property of birth to slaughter.
19°C