VICTORIAN livestock producers are looking to improved traceability and biosecurity outcomes following the announcement of a $17 million State Government funding package to transition the sheep and goat industries into electronic identification (eID) technology.
The package will include $7.7 million in 2017 to subsidise the cost of producers implementing electronic tags, with the remaining funds being used for infrastructure grants, co-funded equipment grants and an education program across the supply chain.
“This is a large investment in our sheep and goat industries, and we thank Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford for committing to a five year rollout of the transition package,” Victorian Farmers Federation Livestock Group President Leonard Vallance said.
“The clear message to producers must be that the only change to on-farm practice is the change of the ear tag to eID.
“All other practices relating to on farm management and production are at the discretion of the producer if they see benefit to their own business.”
Mr Vallance said that central to the Livestock Group’s support was a pledge from the Government that the rollout would be cost-neutral for farmers.
“We made it clear to the Government that they needed to ensure there was zero financial impact on-farm during implementation and that safeguards needed to be put in place to guarantee supply chain costs don’t burden livestock producers as the system matures.”
The VFF Livestock Group has vowed to keep working with government to ensure it upholds its commitment to the five year implementation package.
“We’re confident that a long-term strategy for eID implementation will result in improved supply chain traceability and biosecurity outcomes that protect Victoria’s sheep and goat industries,” Mr Vallance said.
All newborn sheep and goats in Victoria will require electronic tags from 1 January 2017.