The Hon. Clare Scriven, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development (SA), Media Release, 7 August 2024
South Australian producers of sheep and farmed goats and the broader supply chain will benefit from a new electronic identification (eID) implementation program to prepare for the traceability system that becomes mandatory from 1 January 2025.
A further $900,000 in funding is being provided to establish the eID Advantage Program to improve producer knowledge and understanding of changed responsibilities under the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
This is in addition to the $9.3 million State Government funding for eID which was announced last year.
The Program will deliver targeted training to support eID implementation and increase confidence in the use of eID.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) will oversee the development and delivery of the program working closely with various project partners including Livestock SA.
The eID Advantage Program will include workshops to upskill producers and stock agents, along with face-to-face training sessions to build understanding of eID tags, technology and how to use the NLIS database.
The State Government has also released the guidelines for the rebate to assist sheep and farmed goat producers with the costs of the essential scanning equipment needed to meet NLIS reporting obligations.
Eligible applicants can apply for a 75 per cent rebate of the cost of purchasing essential equipment up to a maximum amount depending on the historical number of animals moved annually onto a property directly from another property.
For further information about SA’s transition to eID and rebate and discount schemes visit: pir.sa.gov.au/eid.
Quotes attributable to Clare Scriven
Moving from the current visual device and mob-based approach to eID for sheep and farmed goats on a national level is vital to South Australia’s traceability.
The 2022 outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia highlighted the urgent need to have the best possible traceability system in place to protect our $2.96 billion livestock industry.
The eID Advantage Program is just one of a suite of initiatives and funding support that we have put in place to assist our producers, saleyards, processors and other stakeholders in the sheep and goat industry to be fully ready for the implementation of the new system next year.
I strongly encourage all sheep and goat producers and agents to take advantage of the workshops and training opportunities as they are held across the state over the coming years.
The producer equipment rebate we are offering is in addition to the tag rebates and discounts and is available to assist eligible producers transition to individually identified sheep and farmed goats using eID technology.
Quotes attributable to Joe Keynes, Livestock SA President
Livestock SA has strongly advocated for a range of support measures to assist producers transition to government mandated eID arrangements.
We welcome the eID Advantage Program, which is an important outreach activity to help producers and the broader supply chain understand their responsibilities and be able to comply with them.
We have also strongly advocated for support to be provided to producers before, during and after the implementation of eID to ensure a successful transition, including harnessing productivity benefits of the technology, and this program should start to progress that goal.
Related story: National Livestock Identification System a policy of inequity for SA farmers: Centofanti
