Tasmania announces rebates for sheep and goat eID

The news leaves Queensland as the sole state that hasn't announced a funding package to assist the industry through the transition to the new eID system.

The Tasmanian government on Tuesday announced $11.66 million to help Tasmanian sheep and goat producers transition to the system by the start of next year.

The funding package will help cover the costs of eID infrastructure, as well as providing tag discounts.

The scheme includes rebates of up to 75 per cent for eID scanning infrastructure for eligible supply chain participants, up to 100pc for eID scanning equipment for eligible agricultural societies and not-for-profit groups and up to 100pc for handheld eID scanning devices for eligible producers.

Producers will also be eligible for a rebate of $1 per eID ear tag and $4 per eID goat leg band.

The infrastructure funding can be accessed via a grant scheme and tags will have the rebate applied at the point of sale.

Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water Jo Palmer said the entire nation is working to introduce mandatory ID tagging of sheep and goats by 1 January 2025.

"eIDs are a valuable, on-farm and off-farm tool that are designed to assist in traceability," she said.

"Tasmania is fortunate to have some of the world's best produce.

"Traceability is important for biosecurity, product integrity and maintaining market access advantages and consumer confidence.

"In the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak or incident, it is critical that animal location and movements can be traced quickly to limit the spread of disease and reduce impacts.

"eIDs will further protect Tasmania's agricultural industries."

Tasmania joins NSW, South Australia and Western Australia in offering funding to help the industry transition to mandatory eID.

A Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries spokesman said the Queensland Traceability Advisory Group has been meeting to plan the eID rollout and address any concerns that producers and relevant industries may have.

"The Commonwealth allocated $20 million in the October 2022-23 budget to support the implementation of eID, to be allocated according to number of sheep in the jurisdictions, along with other on-farm and off-farm traceability improvement," he said.

"This was bolstered by an additional $4.7m from the Queensland Government.

"Discussions between the Commonwealth and Queensland are ongoing and an agreement is expected soon, with further announcements made at the appropriate time."

But AgForce sheep wool and goats president Stephen Tully said Tasmania's announcement only serves to highlight the inadequacy of Queensland's approach.

Mr Tully said the Queensland government had proposed producers would receive a one-off payment from the government of 50 per cent of the cost of buying tags and readers, up to a maximum of $1100.

"$1100 gives you half a scanner... it's that small and pathetic that most people won't even apply for it by the time that you have to go through process," he said.

"NSW will give you 50pc up to $10,000 on a panel reader for a farmer... they're not subsidising tags and NSW is up in arms.

"But if you want to get an autodrafter with a scanner on it, they'll subsidise you at 50pc up to $10,000.... in Queensland on a $20,000 you'll give $1100 on a once off and nothing for tags.

"It's just treating the sheep and goat industry with contempt, people will leave the sheep and goat industry because of the way it's being implemented and there are no pathways for processors."

Mr Tully said Queensland's offer was "not even in the same ballpark" as the other states.

"It's so disappointing because the Queensland government did invest a lot of money into exclusion fencing and wild dog control in order to help the sheep and wool industry and just as it's getting back on its feet, it's just smashed it with a sledgehammer.

Mr Tully said industry had told the Queensland government that if it didn't want to invest the money, it needed to fight to make sure there were pathways to make sure that older sheep that had been tagged under the old system could go to processors without needing to be double tagged.

"If those sheep that already tagged, if we can get a pathway for them to go to the meatworks without being tagged, and that's not a traceability issue... then that's the same as a subsidy or a co-investment," he said.

"Producers have just as much to gain as the government so we should invest in this 50/50 to get this scheme up and running and bedded in properly.

"It's really now in the government's court to come back to us with a decent offer because they know where we stand."