DUBBO stock agents have discontinued electronic ear tag scanning and/or compliance fees on sheep at the New South Wales city’s saleyards.

But charges on producers who do not comply with state EID requirements have not been ruled out.

Sheep Central has seen a NSW producer’s sale summary that showed a 12.1 cent EID compliance fee (incl. tax) was levied earlier this month by the Dubbo Stock and Station Agents Pty Ltd.

Dubbo Stock and Station Agents president Martin Simmons said there had been complaints about scanning and ‘compliance’ fees levied on sheep and lamb producers at the saleyards.

He said the NSW Department of Primaries Industries had initially told agents they could call scanning fees a compliance fee, but have now been advised they could not now charge a compliance fee.

“But obviously there is more work involved and there will be some type of fee applied, whether that is an admin fee, because at the end of the day we are the ones who have to make it compliant.

“But with that said we can’t call it a compliance fee either.”

Mr Simmons said DSSA members had discontinued the EID compliance fee, but he could not talk on behalf of other agents.

From 1 January 2025 in New South Wales, it is mandatory that all sheep and goats born from this date have an EID tag, prior to leaving property of birth. EID scanning and upload by saleyards and depots, and EID property to property transfers, hase also been mandatory form 1 January 2025. From 1 January 2027, mandatory EID is required for all sheep and goats prior to leaving any property.

As a condition for state government funding for EID equipment, training and consultants, funded NSW saleyards agreed to “not pass on any National Livestock Identification Scheme scanning fees to clients using equipment or software purchased as part of the NSW EID rebate and/or grant schemes.”

Although the Dubbo Regional council received $186,068 under the NSW Sheep and Goat EID Infrastructure Rebate Scheme for saleyards, Mr Simmons said the Dubbo Stock and Station Agents had not received any EID funding.

A NSW DPIRD spokesperson said saleyards and processors who received funds under the NSW Sheep and Goat EID Infrastructure Rebate Scheme for the purchase of scanning equipment, are unable to pass on scanning fees associated with such equipment.

“However, given the different commercial arrangements that saleyards, agents and contractors have in place for scanning sheep and goats, NSW DPIRD has sought legal advice on the matter.”

Mr Simmons said DSSA was paying a livestock management consultancy a training fee to manage the EID requirements and DSSA agents were committed to absorbing that fee, but in the future there could be a charge for livestock that aren’t compliant and need to be retagged or rescanned.

“It is very important for people to know that none of this is set in stone; we are learning as we go.

“I would like to think that Dubbo is certainly on the front foot and ahead of the game, which I think we are.

“We did get it wrong by charging a scanning fee, but as I said we also entered into a contract with a headage fee to scan everything in the yards.”