Costly move to sheep and goat eIDs

Preliminary results from a NSW Farmers survey have revealed 80 per cent of NSW sheep and goat producers were currently not using eID tags.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said this translates to a huge spending gap in supporting farmers towards electronic identification (eID) for sheep and goats in NSW.

�Farmers are rightly becoming increasingly concerned about the costs associated with implementing eID for sheep and goats, following Minister Saunders� mandating of the traceability system last year,� Xavier said.

�While the NSW Government�s timeline is public, it remains unknown what financial support will be made available to farmers so they can implement eID as they are now required to do.�

NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders announced in July 2022 that NSW will mandate electronic identification (eID) for sheep and goats as part of a national traceability reform.

NSW Farmers has since advocated on behalf of the state�s sheep and goat producers to ensure implementation will support producers� understanding of eID requirements, and that sufficient financial support being made available.

The Federal Government has committed $20.1 million for co-investment with states and territories over three years to support the entire supply chain transition to a national EID system. So far, the NSW Government has committed $3.5m in grants for processors and saleyards.

Xavier said moving to eID will be a costly exercise for farmers.

�We asked farmers how much this will cost them and what training, education and support they need, and it�s clear both levels of government will need to open their wallets more.

�The costs of the total rollout are going to be significant even before the cost of tags and readers are taken into account.�

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 drafter. Data from eID users reveals there is a significant cost in infrastructure modifications to pens, races and yards to install eID technology.

�There will potentially be less than $10 million from the Commonwealth to support NSW producers, and Commonwealth funds are dependent on a NSW Government co-contribute, so our state will also need to make a substantial investment.�

The new traceability system will fall under the National Livestock Identification System. Sheep and farmed goats born from January 1, 2025, will require an electronic tag before leaving a property, and from January 1, 2027, all farmed sheep and goats will require an eID tag.

�This is a tremendous amount of work that needs to happen in a short time, especially when you consider there are some 24.7 million sheep alone in NSW,� Xavier said.

Xavier said NSW Farmers is determined to secure financial assistance for farmers and the supply chain to invest in technology; to retain tag free pathways, and ensure the system be developed in consultation with producers.

Read a great yarn about mohair from Angora goats here.