Victorian workshops will take producers through the National Livestock Identification System.

RECENT bushfires have highlighted the importance of accurate Property Identification Codes for Agriculture Victoria recovery teams.

Agriculture Victoria will hold a series of hands-on National Livestock Identification System workshops which will highlight the important of accurate PIC details.

The state government department said recent bushfire events have demonstrated just how important it is to keep PIC details up-to-date.

Accurate PIC details – including property address, names, phone numbers and location of PIC-registered livestock – have helped AV staff map where livestock and their owner’s property should be or are located after emergencies like bushfires.

The practical, hands-on workshops in February and March for sheep, goat and cattle producers will focus on how to use the NLIS database.

The workshops will walk producers through their NLIS requirements and navigation, completion of movement transactions and reporting functions on the NLIS database. Participants will also learn how to update their Property Identification Code (PIC) details.

All sheep, goats and cattle tagged with an electronic NLIS tag must be transferred on the NLIS database when they are moved between two different Victorian Property Identification Codes (PIC).

Agriculture Victoria technical specialist Kirstie Anderson said the aim was for producers to understand their livestock traceability requirements and how to manage their NLIS database account.

The recent bushfire events across Victoria has demonstrated just how important it is to keep PIC details up-to-date.

Dates and locations (all sessions run from 10 am to 3pm, with lunch provided).

• Ellinbank – Thursday 13 February at Agriculture Victoria, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank
• Leongatha – Friday 14 February at Agriculture Victoria, 12 Pearl Street, Leongatha
• Camperdown – Tuesday 18 February at WestVic Dairy, 5 Cressy Street, Camperdown
• Hamilton – Thursday 20 February at Agriculture Victoria, 915 Napier Road, Hamilton
• Dookie – Friday 28 February at University of Melbourne, 940 Dookie/Nalinga Road, Dookie
• Seymour – Friday 13 March at DELWP, 15 Hume and Hovell Road, Seymour
• Echuca – Wednesday 25 March at Agriculture Victoria, Corner Ogilivie Ave/Annesley Street, Echuca

• Ararat – Wednesday 25 March at Agriculture Victoria, Shire Hall Barkly Street, Ararat
• Horsham – Tuesday 31 March at Agriculture Victoria, 110 Natimuk Road, Horsham
• Webinar – Monday 16 and 23 March

Further information on NLIS requirements and PICS is available here. Numbers are limited so please register early here by putting in the location and date of your preferred event. For more information on the workshops, or to register over the phone, please contact Kirstie Anderson at Agriculture Victoria on (03) 5761 1647.