NSW Farmers has warned it will walk away from controversial traceability reforms unless states and territories implement the same system with the same compliance requirements.
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said jurisdictional harmonisation of mandatory sheep and goat eID traceability was increasingly at risk as state and territories moved in a different direction, undermining the fundamental biosecurity goals of the system.
“This is a critical issue for sheep and goat producers, one we have spent a considerable amount of time working on, and now we may have no choice but to walk away,” Mr Martin said.
“Our in-principle support for the mandated development of a national individual traceability system has always been contingent on several principles, including the system having jurisdictional harmonisation – this must be delivered consistently across all states and territories.
“This is supposed to be about improving Australia’s biosecurity systems, but unless there is jurisdictional harmonisation and consistent compliance we cannot support the adoption of the NLIS Standards for Sheep and Goats.”
The spectre of a potential Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak loomed large when the mandate was announced by former Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders in 2022. But while some arrangements were made to facilitate the system – due to roll out for farmers from 1 January 2025 – each state and territory jurisdiction was working independently rather than together.
“The clue is in the title – this is supposed to be a national scheme – but there is a real risk with each state and territory moving in its own direction,” Mr Martin said.
“Our members face the prospect of being left with a system that is not fit for purpose, and the notion that this piecemeal approach will deliver some national benefit is laughable.
“We have worked consistent with our principles in good faith, but if the states and territories can’t agree then how can they ever expect farmers to support this system?”
NSW Farmers policy on NLIS for Sheep and Goats:
In response to the heightened risk of Foot and Mouth Disease and the NSW Government’s decision to support a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ EID system, NSW Farmers provides in principle support for the development of a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Individual Traceability System for sheep.
This national system must:
a) Have jurisdictional harmonisation
b) Reduce tag costs to an economically affordable level (ie. national tag tender)
c) Financially assist farmers and the supply chain to invest in technology
d) Be underpinned by an equitable funding arrangement across the supply chain
e) Ensure NLIS database has proven capability
f) Retain the option of tag free pathways
g) A staged roll out over a five-year period
h) Be developed in consultation with producers; and
i) NLIS is the only system that is available for stock movements
