Australia: NSW Government, farmers, and processors move on sheep EID tagging

NEW South Wales’ State Government and its farmers have agreed all sheep and farmed goats born after 1 January 2025 will require an electronic tag before leaving a property, as processors call for visual National Livestock Identification System tags to to be phased out after that date. From 1 January 2027, all farmed sheep and goats in NSW will require an EID tag, NSW Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders announced at the Dubbo saleyards today. From 30 June 2024, meat processors will be required to start scanning all farmed sheep and goats and from 1 January 2025, scanning at saleyards will commence. The announcement coincides with the Australian Meat Industry Council’s statement this morning that nationally from 1 January 2025 all newborn lambs and untagged sheep must be tagged with an EID tag when next transferred and from 2027 all sheep must be EID tagged. Australian Meat Industry Council chief executive officer Patrick Hutchinson said processors will accept sheep that have ...