After plenty of speculation about a timeline for the roll out of a mandatory electronic identification system for sheep and goats a date - January 1, 2025 - has been agreed on by the state agriculture ministers.
But there is still much to be decided before SA producers tag their flocks in any nationally consistent scheme.
Ultimately it will be up to each state jurisdiction how and when they implement the system.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven says the state government accepts the in-principle agreement made between the ag ministers to advance work on a national approach but she wants any new traceability system to be "industry-led".
She is committed to seeing the findings of the Sheep and Goat Traceability Steering Committee, with the state government providing $140,000 in funding to Livestock SA to assist with the consultation process.
"This grant, provided through the Red Meat & Wool Growth Program, will inform both government and industry decision making and planning of any potential implementation of eID tags for sheep," she said.
The committee, being chaired by former MP and Edilillee sheep producer Peter Treloar, comprises a cross section of the supply chain including agent and processor representatives.
It is due to meet face to face for the first time this week.
"The goal is to be able to implement by 2025, but this will be subject to industry readiness and appropriate funding, with federal funding to be a topic for future discussions," Ms Scriven said.
Mr Treloar said they expected to release their findings mid next year.
"Up until now, all the states have been going their own way, we feel as a state we still need to explore the best options for SA while recognising there is a national directive," he said.
"If electronic ID were to be introduced, it will be a cost to producers so our committee is working to keep the costs to a minimum while ensuring the greatest benefit to the whole trade."
Mr Treloar did not want to "pre-empt" any findings but said it made sense to have consistency across the states.
A staggered implementation of the scheme was something they would also be considering.
Livestock SA president Joe Keynes says the agreement between the state agriculture ministers means SA needs to work towards implementing eID "sooner rather than later" but says it is "too early" to put a date on it.
He says they will work closely with the state government but says successful implementation will require a "co-investment model".
"The reason for the business plan is to strategise the actual costs of the eID roll out and then we can work out how the costs can be shared - it can't be all left up to producers," he said.
"Once we see the business plan, we will have more of an idea on the rollout timeline.
"It is not only money we need to work out but other resources, such as people - do we have the supply of tags and do we have the people to retrofit readers in saleyards?"
Australian Livestock & Property Agents southern regional manager Liz Summerville says the date is not unrealistic but will require funding assistance for the whole supply chain.
"It was always going to happen for the biosecurity aspect and now we have a definite date but the devil will be in the detail in who is going to fund it," she said.
"Where is the money coming from? There has got to be some support from the federal and state governments.
"Producers' only requirement will be to put tags in their sheep but it will be the agents and saleyards which will have the biggest impost in that first year reading the tags."
SE lamb producer accepts eID is way to go for industry's future
Woolumbool prime lamb producer Graham Clothier, sees only a small on-farm benefit putting eID tags in all his sheep but has been convinced of the industry need to enhance its traceability.
"From the industry groups I have been involved in, the feedback from the processors and industry people is our (export) buyers want better traceability than the current system," he said.
"They tell us the paper based system is only about 70 per cent accuracy so eID will get it to 90 per cent or even 95pc - even this system won't be 100pc though, tags will always fall out."
Mr Clothier says SA producers would be grateful for financial support from the federal and state government - similar to what was offered in Vic - but is not holding his breath.
He strongly believes it needs to be a gradual implementation with only lambs born after January 1, 2025, requiring an electronic tag, rather than whole flocks needing to be tagged by the start date.
"Then it just becomes the cost of the tag so it is not such a big impost," he said.
"Change is always difficult but it is inevitable, if we can maintain our markets without any hiccups it will be worth it."
