MANDATORY electronic tagging for sheep and goats could be the future for Australian producers following a decision by Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARES) to review the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
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Late last year, ABARES sought input from stakeholders on alternative proposals for improving the NLIS for sheep and goats.
One of the options discussed included the introduction of electronic identification (EID) for all producers in Australia, without exemptions.
The stakeholder consultation period closed in early December but a largely unanimous response supporting the current system sent a clear message to ABARES.
The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) and WAFarmers made submissions opposing the movement to mandatory EID.
WAFarmers wool section president Ed Rogister said farmers vehemently opposed EID because of the cost and infrastructure.
"We don't see any benefit of it," he said. "We know that nearly every State is also opposing it.
"It is the prohibitive cost that is the issue and we have far greater issues to worry about other than electronic tags in sheep."
In its submission, the PGA indicated that rather than changing the entire system, the answer was to improve compliance with the current system.
"If there is indeed a doubt over the current traceability in some States, the answer is to improve compliance with the current system, rather than change to a whole new system," its submission said.
"The general consensus among livestock exporters, stock agents and sheep farmers is that EID for sheep would actually be a negative animal welfare outcome, in that sheep would need handling on an individual basis, rather than as a mob.
"Livestock exporters, stock agents and sheep farmers have all expressed concerns over the logistical difficulties of using EID scanners when the body size of sheep can vary from large adult, in full wool, to lambs.
"In April 2013, the PGA did a simple web search that showed the costs for a typical EID for sheep was $1.65 a head; this is a very real cost imposition to the producer."
The current Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) position was the WA system met the majority of the National Livestock Traceability Performance standards.
It maintained the current NLIS transaction tag and movement documentation system was adequate until there was a demonstrated practical system of individual animal identification that was cost-effective and funded.
DAFWA indicated additional education was required to improve the compliance and level of traceability in the current system.
Wool Producers Australia policy advisor Jo Hall said the organisation was also against mandatory tagging and most stakeholders and State farmer groups were not in support of the EID.
"There doesn't seem to be an appetite to go down that line," Ms Hall said.
"I can't recall an issue where there has been so much support for one argument."
Now the consultation period has closed it was understood by Ms Hall that a decision was to be collated for relevant Ministers to discuss at the Standing Council of Primary Industries (SCoPI) meeting.
But, according to Ms Hall, the announcement in December that SCoPI would be abandoned had thrown a spanner in the works.
The Department of Agriculture (DAFF) issued a statement which said submissions received through the (NLIS) consultation process were currently being considered.
"ABARES is engaged in a process of further consultation to respond to questions received from stakeholders.
"The disbanding of SCoPI has had no impact on the development or content of the NLIS regulation impact statement."
It was expected a statement would be finalised for consideration by the end of February 2014.
