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Survey reveals huge spending gap on eID traceability NSW Farmers is calling for a substantial Minister Saunders’ mandating of the traceabil- January 2025 will require an electronic tag investment from State and Federal govern- ity system last year,” Mr Martin said. before leaving a property, and from January ments to make their electronic identification “While the NSW Government’s timeline is 2027 all farmed sheep and goats will require an (eID) traceability reforms achievable. public, it remains unknown what financial eID tag. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said a support will be made available to farmers so The Federal Government announced $20.1 move to eID for sheep and goats will far ex- they can implement eID as they are now re- million over three years to help the states tranceed the $20 million offered by the Federal quired to do. sition to mandatory electronic tags, but Mr Government and, with a timeline set for man- “We asked farmers how much this will cost Martin said that sum was nowhere near enough datory tagging, farmers are in the dark on what them and what training, education and support as it had to be shared between all states and financial support will be made available. they need, and it’s clear both levels of govern- territories. Mr Martin said with 80 per cent of NSW ment will need to open their wallets.” “There will potentially be less than $10 milsheep and goat producers not using eID at pre- NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders lion from the Commonwealth to support NSW sent, there would need to be significant State announced the state would join a national producers, and Commonwealth funds are deand Federal financial assistance to assist in the traceability effort in July 2022 following an pendent on a NSW Government co-contribute, transition. outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in so our state will also need to make a substan“Farmers are rightly becoming increasingly Indonesia. tial investment,” Mr Martin said. concerned about the costs associated with im- Under the National Livestock Identification “But there’s been no funding clarity, and plementing eID for sheep and goats, following System, sheep and farmed goats born after producers are rightly concerned about what financial support will be made available to help them meet the government’s timeline. “People want to be able to make business decisions – some producers are already transitioning hoping to receive some support – so they need to know how financial assistance will be provided and how much it will be.” Mr Martin said moving to eID will be a very costly exercise as the equipment producers will need to purchase can range from a couple of thousand dollars for a wand reader, to tens of thousands of dollars for eID drafters. “Data from eID users reveals there is a significant cost in infrastructure modifications to pens, races and yards to install eID technology. Users of eID reported their costs ranged from $40,000 to $70,000 and, with 66 per cent of producers surveyed saying they will need to modify infrastructure on their farms, the costs of the total rollout are going to be significant even before the cost of tags and readers are taken into account,” Mr Martin said. “Producers want certainty that NLIS eID tags will be affordable not just now, but well into the future, and there is a growing concern about increased tag and NLIS device costs. “Governments must play their part in supporting economically-affordable NLIS devices, and the move to eID can’t progress until farmers get the financial assistance they need.” State Member for Barwon, Roy Butler said many Barwon landholders have questions about the system, some of which were raised at a meeting of more than 100 pastoralists in Broken Hill last week. The meeting was requested by the Pastoralists’ of Western Darling to hear the Agriculture Minister and Senior Government Officials explain why NSW is moving towards mandatory sheep and goat eID. “When asked for a “show of hands” from producers in the Far West – “Who is in support of the mandatory rollout of eID in the goat and sheep industry?” there was no movement detected in the room,” Mr Butler said. “After presentations and an opportunity for many questions, the lack of support was still evident. “A hybrid model suggestion from the floor was met with some support,” he said. “It was clarified that the harvested rangeland goat tag free movement option, will be retained under the current rules. “Sheep and farmed goats that require a visual tag now will require an eID tag in the future. “Many questions were asked about; costs to producers for tags, reading infrastructure, compliance with current NLIS by all stakeholders, the state’s cost benefit analysis for eNVD, options for an assistance package for producers to implement, traceability, feral pig populations and the reduction of risk for FMD and lumpy skin disease,” Mr Butler said. Page 10 The Cobar Weekly Wednesday February 22, 2023
