Merino lambs with electronic identification tags.

A NSW Farmers request to continue the state’s electronic identification tag discount scheme for sheep and goats has seemingly been ignored by the Minns Government.

NSW Farmers late last year warned it would review its support for mandated traceability reforms unless the Minns Government continued an EID tag discount scheme past 31 December and introduced EID tag-free pathways for sheep moving from their property of birth direct to slaughter.

On Thursday last week, NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty announced a $2 million package to provide discounts on EID equipment, but not ear tags – leaving farmers to foot the bill for EID tags for use on lambs and farmed kids across the state.

This prompted NSW Farmers to claim the state government package will struggle to deliver traceability reforms mandated for sheep and goat producers.

NSW Farmers’ president Xavier Martin said it was disappointing to see Minister Moriarty had not answered the call for the EID tag discount scheme to continue as farmers faced soaring costs to implement the EID system.

“We wrote to the state government back in October to request an extension to this EID tag discount scheme, but our calls for investment to reduce the costs and imposts of this transition have been left unanswered, once again,” Mr Martin said.

“Just 22.4 percent of sheep and goats coming through NSW’s saleyards last year had EID tags, and so it’s clear we need some serious investment to ensure compliance.

“We’ve got less than a year until EID tags are mandatory for all sheep and farmed goats, and as input costs outstrip inflation, farmers are fighting an uphill battle to front up for the costs of this government mandate,” he said.

As well as the reinstatement of the EID tag discount scheme, Mr Martin said a series of other measures – such as EID tag free pathways for sheep moving from their property of birth direct to slaughter – must be delivered if the traceability scheme was to succeed.

“This is supposed to be about improving Australia’s biosecurity systems, but unless we see jurisdictional harmonisation coupled with serious and continued investment for compliance, we have no confidence this scheme will succeed.

“For now, it’s back to Macquarie Street for NSW Farmers, where we’ll once again advocate for what’s really needed to move forward with this traceability mandate,” Mr Martin said.

“It’s clear that those in parliament are not listening to those in the paddock, and that needs to change.”

Minister Moriarty avoids tag discount and EID tag target questions

Sheep Central asked Minister Moriarty if the Minns Government has ruled out extending the NSW EID tag discount scheme and providing EID tag-free pathways for sheep and lambs moving from their property of birth direct to slaughter and if she is confident that 22pc of sheep and goats coming through saleyards with EID tags indicated the target of all animals having EID tags by 1 January 2027 will be achieved without continuing the discount on tags.

Minister Moriarty said the previous Coalition government signed the state’s farmers up to the EID program without providing any funding to assist in its implementation.

“The Minns Labour Government has continued to be part of the program having now committed some $41 million to help farmer purchase EID tags and equipment – the largest funding commitment of any state or territory.

“We have done this because we are committed to protecting the state’s livestock industries and to protecting our invaluable export markets,” she said.

“We will continue working with producers, agents, saleyards and processors to implement EID in their operations.

“The roll-out of the EID program and our financial support is part of the government’s more than $1 billion biosecurity plans to protect and secure the agricultural sector.”