Upcoming workshops in the south-west will help producers and livestock agents boost Victoria’s traceability system.
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From March 31, property-to-property movements of electronically tagged sheep and goats in Victoria must be recorded on the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database by the person receiving them.
The requirement is part of the staged rollout of Victoria’s new sheep and goats electronic identification (EID) program that began on January 1, last year.
Agriculture Victoria Meat and Wool program manager Kate Linden said producers and livestock agents played a vital part in Victoria’s livestock traceability system.
“We are keen to ensure everyone gets a strong handle on the new requirements, therefore workshops have been arranged across the state,” Ms Linden said.
“Victoria has valuable livestock industries, exporting products worth $6.7 billion per year, with sheep meat and wool products worth more than $2.5 billion.
“These industries are essential parts of our rural and regional communities and their ongoing prosperity relies on having effective traceability systems to underpin confidence in our products and to maintain access to local and international markets,” she said,
In the south-west, workshops will be held at Lismore on March 13, at Casterton on March 14 and at Hamilton on March 15.
Topics will include understanding traceability and the need for an EID system, and the requirements of property to property movement recording for sheep and goat producers under the electronic NLIS.
The workshops will also cover learning how to transfer livestock from one property to another using the NLIS database, where to access help and a question and answer session.
Ms Linden said that following each workshop, Agriculture Victoria staff would be on-hand to help producers with accessing or using their NLIS database account.
People can register online for the workshops at https://agriculturevictoriaevents.eventbrite.com.au Those wanting assistance to register should ring 5761 1647 or email eid.support@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Agriculture Victoria said the NLIS helped support food safety, disease control and animal welfare measures.
It said mandatory EID of sheep and goats also gave customers increased confidence in the safety and origin of Victorian products, enhancing market access.