NATIONAL bodies representing the sheep and goat supply chains are calling for the continuation of the current mob based tracing scheme under the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
WoolProducers Australia (WPA), the Sheepmeat Council of Australia (SCA), the Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA), the Australian Livestock & Property Agents (ALPA) and the Australian Livestock Markets Association (ALMA) have united and recently written to all State ministers responsible for agriculture urging them to consider the huge financial burden and impracticalities to the entire supply chain if mandatory electronic identification (EID) was imposed on the sheep and goat industries.
The national bodies believe that the current NLIS system is simple, cost-effective, and well-accepted by industry.
The mandatory implementation of EID is being discussed at the Standing Council of Primary Industries (SCoPI) meeting tomorrow, where a pre-consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) will be presented.
ALPA chief-executive-officer, Andy Madigan, said to impose the expense and complication if EID onto producers and industry without a concerted effort by Governments to enhance the current system was not justified.
Mr Madigan said the current NLIS mob based system delivered on the traceability standards.
WoolProducers president, Geoff Power, said while they support the right of individual producers to use EID, the enormous costs and resources involved with implementing mandatory EID across the supply chain would far outweigh any benefits for industry.