February 16, 2006

Identification rules irk Australian beef producers
 

Australian producers are seeing red over the mandatory livestock identification system, which they say affects competitiveness.

Ranchers are incensed that they have a mandatory system when other beef producers are having voluntary systems.

Australian Beef Association (ABA) Vice Chairman Brad Bellinger said the US has dropped plans for a mandatory cattle identification program by 2009 and USDA has aborted plans for a privatised central database to launch cattle identification.

The ABA reports that Neil Hammerschmidt, USDA's National Animal Identification Systems coordinator, had affirmed that the US system will be voluntary and that there are no plans to implement a mandatory program at present.

This contravenes claims made by Cattle Council of Australia that America will implement a similar system as Australia's, Bellinger said. He added that the American government has taken their ranchers concerns into account and relaxed its policy as a result of strong opposition.

Bellinger called for an end by the cattle council of distributing inaccurate information about NLIS. Financial costs and restrictions on management resulting from such a system will seriously erode Australia's competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded market, he added.