Membership Benefits

Exclusive Discounts for ICSA Members 

Join ICSA Today

An Association of Farmers for Farmers

COMPULSORY EID TAGGING FOR ALL SHEEP UNJUSTIFIED

May 2, 2018 | Press Releases | 0 comments

2 MAY 2018

ICSA sheep chairman John Brooks has described the introduction of compulsory EID tagging for all sheep as “completely over the top on the part of the Department of Agriculture.” Mr Brooks was speaking following the announcement by Minister Creed that all sheep, including lambs under twelve months moving directly from the farm for processing, must be EID tagged from 1 October 2018.

Continuing Mr Brooks said, “This has been done without warning or consultation at the behest of processors. There is no doubt that this move will benefit efficiency in factories but there will be no benefit to the primary producer or to the end consumer. The sheep farmer will ultimately have to bear all the costs associated and there will be no extra traceability post slaughter, certainly not individual carcass traceability. Foisting this on farmers with the reasoning that it’s a market requirement simply does not ring true.”

“It would appear the Department have been hoodwinked on this. Up to now even the most ardent supporter of EID tagging consented that it should never be a requirement for lambs moving from farm of origin to the meat plant.”

“In addition, there has been no promise of a reduction paperwork for the farmer. Costs have been mounting up for sheep farmers in recent months. In the middle of a busy spring we had the confused roll out of Clean Livestock Policy (CLP) for sheep and now this. There is no justification for adding this extra cost burden onto sheep farmers at a time when so many are struggling to stay afloat.”

ENDS

Share Socially