Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven has announced more critical dates for the roll out of an individual electronic traceability system for SA sheep and farmed goats, which is due to start on January 1, next year.
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All lambs and kids born after that date must be tagged before leaving the property and from January 1, 2027, all other sheep and goats will require an eID tag before being trucked.
Until now, there were no specific dates on when these tags would be read in abattoirs or saleyards to ensure the flow of information onto the National Livestock Identification System database.
SA processors will need to have scanning in place by the beginning of next year. Saleyard operators have been given a six-month reprieve, with their assigned start date July 1, 2025.
Ms Scriven said these dates were decided in consultation with the Industry Advisory Committee. However, Stock Journal has been told by multiple members of that committee these timelines were not agreed to at the last meeting.
The July 1, 2025, date comes just weeks after Stock Journal reported that none of the state's three major saleyards - Naracoorte, Mount Gambier and Dublin - believed they would have the infrastructure installed and be ready to commence scanning in nine months time.
The state government has provided one of the most generous rebate schemes for tags and infrastructure in the country with $9.3m in funding announced for the first stage of implementation - as well as another $3.5m from the federal government.
But with the saleyard operators still working through PIRSA's funding process for the 75 per cent rebate on all necessary infrastructure, the July 1, 2025, start date is still no guarantee.
SA saleyards have not placed any orders as yet for panel readers, wands or other equipment and may face a long wait depending on orders from other states.
Ms Scriven says setting the dates will provide processors and saleyard operators with a clear timeline to ensure they are ready to meet the requirements for eID.
"We have worked closely with the Industry Advisory Committee to ensure that saleyards and processors have the time to assess their needs regarding scanning equipment and installation, as well as site alignment and any changes to business practices," she said.
"The eID system for sheep and farmed goats is essential for improved traceability, enabling a quick and efficient biosecurity response if a disease such as Foot and Mouth occurs in Australia.
"It would also ensure that recovery from an outbreak would be quicker and the path to regaining overseas market access would be shorter."
Livestock SA president Joe Keynes said it was a positive to have timeframes to work towards, but said it would be a "wait and see whether it was achieved".
"If the processors are ready to go and the saleyards are ready to go by those dates, we need to fall in line too, but I would ask the question should we be putting tags into terminal lambs in 2025 if they are not being read?" he said.
"That needs to the negotiable part depending on how everything progresses."
Mr Keynes also reiterated the need for national harmonisation on these eID timelines, rather than each state working at a different pace for the roll out.
NSW is still aiming for tag reading in saleyards from January 1, 2025, and having readers installed in abattoirs by June 30 of this year.
WA has the same July 1, 2025, saleyard introduction date as SA.
