SA's sheep and goat sectors are still waiting to find out a timeline for the transition to eID and how much money may be on the table to help pay for the tags and other infrastructure.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
In July last year, all the states and federal government agreed to a nationally consistent, mandatory sheep and goat eID system with the introduction date January 1, 2025.
Since then NSW and WA governments have both announced slightly different end dates for full implementation. WA has pledged to be completely changed by January 1, 2025 while in NSW, the plan is to tag lambs born after January 1, 2025 with a full flock goal of January 1, 2027.
The Australian Meat Industry Council has also said that processors will not accept any lambs, born after January 2025, without eID tags and all stock by 2027.
There is growing frustration about the lack of communication by the state government and Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven about its plan for SA.
The Liberal opposition has accused Ms Scriven of being "secretive" about the details and Livestock SA is also critical of the state government not explaining to producers and the broader industry what had been agreed upon by ag ministers at successive meetings last year.
Opposition primary industries spokesperson Nicola Centofanti says primary producers have raised concerns the mandate will be a big cost.
Some producers have requested the government consider exemptions but attempts by the opposition to get answers for the farming community on this have been "stonewalled".
"So many questions remain unanswered by this government. Clare Scriven continues to hide behind industry on this important issue, however it is not industry that demanded this mandate - the Labor government signed up to the deal and now needs to take responsibility," Dr Centofanti said.
She also says the government must be "upfront" about the money it will be offering producers for a system it is imposing on them.
Next month, the federal government is expected to allocate the $20.1 million it set aside in the budget to the states for eID implementation. SA's share - based on each state's flock size - is likely to only be $3.2 to $3.5m.
For the past seven months, a SA Sheep & Goat Traceability Steering Committee, appointed by Livestock SA, has been working on a business plan, which includes an estimate of costs.
The state government may have been waiting for this report before it announces more details and a support package but producers are running out of patience.
Last week the business plan was presented to PIRSA and government. Ms Scriven said they would consider the recommendations.
"I look forward to being able to release further information in the near future," she said.
Livestock SA says it is up to the government whether the report is made public as it provided $140,000 - the majority of project funding - but hopes it will be.
Ms Scriven did not answer Stock Journal's question about when the state government would be announcing its funding for SA's eID roll out.
She says it is disappointing the opposition are trying to "undermine biosecurity efforts in SA" with its comments.
"The state government is supportive of improvements to livestock traceability that can assist with emergency animal disease responses, especially with regard to enabling and maintaining access to international markets," she said.
She says a "national industry-led sheep and goats' electronic identification system" has been reached and the state government was working closely with Livestock SA on this.
"Last week I visited a livestock farm on the Yorke Peninsula with Livestock chief executive officer Travis Tobin to see firsthand a voluntary eID system in action as well as sale yards, to discuss further implications," she said.
Mr Tobin noted it shouldn't be up to "industry to speak on behalf of government".
"It would be fair to say that we have heard a lot more from other states than SA around what was agreed at Ag Ministers meetings and what these decisions will mean for the industry," he said.
Mr Tobin also says while governments have agreed to a January 2025 start date, they haven't set a uniform end date for when the reform is to be completed, which is creating some confusion.
"There is a lot to work through to ensure a nationally harmonised system is effectively rolled out," he said. "When there is too much up in the air, it is problematic for everyone.
"For example, if producers are going to have to double handle stock to meet the end date, assistance and incentives should be available to help them.
"Livestock SA is committed to working with the government to ensure that the implementation of a mandatory eID system for sheep and goats in South Australia is properly costed, reduces disruption, maintains efficiencies, and identifies the opportunities for producers and the supply chain."
RESEARCH NEEDED ON NEW TAG TECH
Beachport livestock producer Mark Wheal supports the need for eID in the nation's sheep flock but he says the industry is being "short sighted" pursuing decades old, low frequency tag technology.
"We buy a new mobile phone every couple of years but we are expected to use expensive, inefficient technology in our sheep flocks," he said.
"Department stores, casino chips and even the back end of abattoirs are all using UHF so why are we using something different?"
Mr Wheal is frustrated that during consultation about the implementation of mandatory sheep eID there has not been any discussion or research about the technology that would best serve industry and wants more R&D funding spent on the subject.
"In my opinion, changing over (to UHF) would pay for itself in the first year," he said. "A UHF scanner costs $500 and has a read range of five metres whereas a panel reader with about a 50 centimetre read range costs $2500 - that adds up when you are looking at the numbers needed in saleyards."
Mr Wheal and his wife Kate have been trialing a few different button tags bought online from Germany and China in their sheep flock, as well as larger tags in their free range Berkshire pigs and cattle. These tags have cost them between 40 and 80c each but Mr Wheal believes they could be much cheaper when bought in bulk.
"If producers can buy tags at the same price they are paying now they (the industry) would not be having to work so hard to justify eID," he said.
- Subscribers have access to download our free app today from the App Store or Google Play
