South Australia's sheep and goat industry is growing impatient for answers about the state government's eID roll out plan, including how they can get hold of their less than $1 tags.
In early June, Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven announced $9.3m for stage one of the funding package. This will be available along with $3.2m from the federal government- for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
However 10 weeks, on sheep and farmed goat producers still have no idea about when they will be able to claim the promised 50 per cent discount on NLIS accredited eID tags and whether it will be through a government portal like Victoria or via rural resellers.
Saleyards, feedlotters, agents and processors are also still in the dark about the 75pc subsidies announced for critical infrastructure and, with no progression on this, it has some in the supply chain questioning whether SA will be ready for the start date in just 16-months time.
All lambs and kids born after January 1 2025 will need to be identified with a eID tag before leaving their property of birth.
From January 1 2027, all sheep and farmed goats leaving a property must be tagged.
At the timing of the funding announcement, Ms Scriven said more details would be available soon but when Stock Journal asked her again this week, it was told the "details on tag rebates and infrastructure support would be included in guidelines that will be released in coming weeks".
She state those early adopters who had purchased "eligible tags" since January 1 and put them in 2023-drop lambs would be able to claim the rebate.
Opposition agriculture spokesperson Nicola Centofanti says it is "not good enough" the state government, which is "controlling" these changes from a mob-based system to individual eID, have not articulated to industry and producers a clear plan.
"It is clear that the minister and government are out of touch and working to a different timeline to producers," she said.
"It is important that farmers have the information required to make good business decisions.
"They have a window of opportunity in which to tag their lambs at marking and many that I have spoken to have opted not to put eID tags in this year's lambs because they have heard nothing more since June."
Dr Centofanti also called upon Ms Scriven to explain how putting an electronic tags in truck loads of lambs sold direct from the property of birth to slaughter can offer any better traceability than the existing National Vendor Declaration mob-based system.
Livestock SA president Joe Keynes says industry is grateful for the state government funding but acknowledged "it would have been nice" to have all the details released at the same time.
"Everywhere we go, we are getting questions around what the rebate scheme will look like," he said.
"We are continuing to work with PIRSA to come up with a simple, easy to understand rebate that works for producers."
Mr Keynes hoped this would be released soon and encouraged producers to retain their receipts and ensure they put the right year of birth tags in - sky blue for 2023.
At the state's largest saleyards, Naracoorte Lucindale Council director of infrastructure and services Daniel Willsmore says prior to and since the minister's announcement they have sought clarity on the details of the funding percentage and how funding will be accessed.
"We hope further information will be provided shortly to allow these significant infrastructure works to proceed in a timely manner," he said.
Stock Journal understands PIRSA is establishing a Sheep and Goat eID Implementation Project Industry advisory committee.
It will be chaired by PIRSA and include a cross section of industry including Livestock SA, agents, transporters, processors and Integrity Systems with the members appointed until June 30 2025.
This comes after a steering committee - formed by Livestock SA - with similar industry representation spent months developing a business plan and transition/implementation plan.
LACK OF DETAIL HURTS EID UPTAKE
KEILIRA Merino breeder and consultant Jonathan England says SA producer interest in eID has grown strongly since the mandate was announced by the state Ag Ministers in July last year.
But the lack of detail on how to access the state government's tag rebate has provided a reason for some not to start with this year's ewe lambs.
"For those who are already doing it (eID) nothing much has changed other than seeing an opportunity to get a tag rebate. Then there are those that think we might as well look at it because we are going to have to soon and then there are those who do not see any value and will wait right until they have to put the tags in," he said.
Mr England and his wife Danielle started trialing eID in their self-replacing flock about 20 years ago. When they moved to WA he worked with farmers there to make the most of the technology and he has continued consulting through their AgInnovate business since their return to SA a few years ago.
Mr England's advice to new clients has not been to go out and tag their whole flocks but start with ewe lambs - where the rebate will be available for the next two years. If they want to do a portion of their adult flock, he has been encouraging them to start with those ewes scanned in-lamb with twins.
"A twin bearing ewe is more likely to have twins the following year again and you know anything that doesn't have a eID tag has had a single in the previous year," he said.
"You are tagging say 30pc of your flock each year and starting to build up a picture of reproduction."
AgInnovate graduate consultant Jessie Daniel - who started in the role about six months ago - is excited about helping producers use the technology for more than traceability.
"Profitability is the bottom line in any enterprise so when people realise the variation in their flock and identify the high performers and get rid of their lower performing ones, they have the ability to make production gains faster," she said.
AgInnovate has set up an 18-month long consulting package to step new clients through the journey to eID from the right tag choice to equipment needed to collect the data to interpreting the information.
"Just because you are using eID tags you don't necessarily need to go and buy a $30,000 autodrafter, in many cases a good stick reader is a good starting point," Mr England said.
