October 26, 2005

Australia spends A$4 million on National Livestock Identification System

Australia's government said it would allocate nearly A$4 million to help implement the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) in Western Australia and New South Wales states.

Western Australia and New South Wales would receive A$954,440 and A$2.86 million respectively over three years to help set up the NLIS for cattle there.

Peter McGauran, Australia's minister for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, said the NLIS would serve to boost health security of Australian livestock, allowing quick tracing and response to a national disease emergency such as a foot-and-mouth outbreak. The system would also help protect key export markets.

McGauran added that farm exports accounted for over A$30 billion annually in the national economy, and the NLIS would help ensure Australia's animal health status remained "uniquely favourable".

Over the next three years, Western Australia expected to use the funding to support producers and the industry, livestock agents, saleyard operators, slaughter plants, live export depots and service providers.

New South Wales expected the financial support to help subsidise the cost of NLIS tags and readers, purchase hardware required to read NLIS devices and database services, establish a NLIS inquiry hotline for industry members and train producers on NLIS recording and reporting requirements.