THE sheep and goat eID tag discount program will be extended until December 31, with Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty saying that uptake for the program has been strong.
“We are really pleased to see such strong uptake and support for the program since January 1 and this additional funding will ensure more producers are supported during the implementation process,” Ms Moriarty said.
“This program ensures New South Wales producers will continue to lead the world in biosecurity safety and maintain their export premiums.
“We will continue working with producers, agents, saleyards and processors to implement eID in their operations.”
The eID program was mandated as of January 1, 2025, to ensure livestock traceability that can help protect the industry sector from pests and diseases, according to a spokesperson from the NSW Government.
The funding allows producers to access a discount of 76 cents for NLIS accredited white 2025 devices up until funds are exhausted or until December 31, 2025.
Approximately 9.8 million eID tags have been purchased since November 2024, with more than 800,500 eIDs scanned in sales yards in 2025, in yards already equipped with an eID.
Lachlan Gall from the Pastoralists Association of West Darling said though the additional $4 million boost to extend the electronic tag rebate scheme is welcome and may help producers with initial costs, it’s just a “drop in the bucket” in the grand scheme of things.
“There’s no getting away from the fact that nationally, adopting electronic tags for sheep and farmed goats will cost producers well more than a billion dollars over the next 10 years,” Mr Gall said.
“Rebates only serve to sugarcoat and gift wrap the adoption of eID until the Minister decides to cut funding. Producers will eventually be left to pay the full $2 cost of electronic tags.”
Mr Gall said the cost of equipment for maximising the use of electronic tag management is also significant.
“Two thousand dollars for a tag reader, and $25,000 for a livestock handler used to restrain animals for applying or reading tags. For a property running sheep in western NSW and marking 5000 lambs annually expenditure on electronic tags every year will be $10,000,” he said.
Ms Moriarty said the eID program will help protect the livelihoods of producers across the state.
“It is about protecting our export markets, about protecting against exotic disease and it is about protecting the livelihood of famers and their families,” she said.
