Why is mandatory eID being implemented?
Faster tracing of livestock if there is a disease outbreak or food safety incident.
Increased movement of people and goods is contributing to increased biosecurity risks. Recent detections of foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease in Indonesia have further raised concerns. The faster we can trace the location and movements of sheep and goats, the higher chance of a fast recovery from a disease outbreak. This reduces impact on industries, their access to markets, and number of animals harmed by the disease.
Additionally, traceability is becoming increasingly important to key customers in export markets, particularly if their domestic traceability requirements are high. As a result, our international competitors are enhancing their traceability systems. To stay competitive in these markets, both industry and government at state and national levels agreed in 2022 to transition to eID for sheep and goats.
eIDs can also assist in reuniting you with your sheep or goat if it is lost or stolen. When a lost microchip in an eID is scanned, we can see who the eID is registered too. You microchip a cat or dog so they can be returned to you if they go missing, so the same concept can be used for sheep and goats too.
When will mandatory eID for sheep and goats come into effect in Tasmania?
1 January 2025.
On this date:
- Mandatory eID tagging of sheep and goats leaving a property commences
- All supply chain participants ready to scan eID tags
In September 2022, as part of ongoing national traceability reforms, Australia’s Agriculture Ministers agreed to work collaboratively with industry to introduce national mandatory individual electronic identification (eID) for sheep and goats by 1 January 2025.
What happens if better technology appears?
The implementation of eID across Australia will include technology that works across different platforms and software systems, allowing for the adoption of any improvements in eID traceability technology.
Will the NLIS database be upgraded as part of the eID implementation?
The Australian Government has announced $26 million for an upgrade of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database.
Integrity Systems Company will use this investment to develop a new database that has improved functionality, user-friendliness, analytics, reporting and cybersecurity. The new database will be developed independently to avoid impacting the functionality of the current database.
When will information be released on support for Tasmanian producers?
The Tasmania Government is negotiating with the Australian Government for support for Tasmanian producers. It is anticipated that further information will be released by December 2023. In the interim, project staff are to be employed as soon as possible to engage with industry.
How will these reforms be introduced?
New regulations are being developed under the Biosecurity Act 2019 to implement mandatory identification for sheep and goats. These new regulations will be supported by a range of policies and standards and will include obligations relating to the electronic identification of sheep and goats.
Once enacted, the livestock traceability regulations will replace the Animal (Brands and Movement) Act 1984, Animal (Brands and Movement) Regulations 2014 and the General Biosecurity Direction (Livestock Traceability) 03/22, all of which will be repealed.
Will there be consultation with industry?
Biosecurity Tasmania will work closely with industry to support the implementation of sheep and goat eID. Two industry-led advisory groups have been established to inform and support the implementation:
1. Sheep Regulatory Advisory Group (SRAG)
2. Goat Regulatory Advisory Group (GRAG)
These groups will facilitate the implementation of sheep and goat eIDs by acting as a conduit between industry and government, and report to the Biosecurity Tasmania Traceability Governance Group (BTTAG) who are the decision-making body for Tasmania's Primary Produce Traceability Program.
How can I learn what I need to do?
As more information becomes available on support for industry and the roll-out of sheep and goat eID it will be published on our website.
Targeted education, training and awareness workshops will be held in the future to help with the implementation of eID across the sheep and goat supply chain. Information on these workshops will be supplied on our website as information becomes available. Further information on industry support and the roll-out of sheep and goat eID will also be published once more information becomes available.