Sheep eID backlash continues as producers threaten to seek levy refunds

Some SA producers opposed to the decision or seeking an exemption for direct to abattoir movements are accusing the advocacy group of not standing up to state and federal agriculture ministers, who last year agreed to make eID mandatory from 2025 to enhance traceability.

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In the past few months, Livestock SA has received a number of letters from concerned producers and, in protest to the perceived inaction, some are now considering seeking a refund of their Sheep Industry Fund levies.

These help fund Livestock SA, with $437,000 allocated to them in 2022/23 for advocacy.

In its defence, Livestock SA says it has consulted widely to ensure its position of support for eID "represents the views of most of its members".

It says it continues to hold discussions with the state government, peak industry councils and other state farming organisations to get the best outcome for SA producers as the process evolves, including tag subsidies.

Mount Burr prime lamb producer Duan Williams says encouraging producers to apply for their 67 cent a head transaction levy back was not something he had done lightly, with the voluntary fund also contributing to important industry projects, including 12c/hd for the Dog Fence rebuild.

"We are not out to disrupt our industry or take anything away from what our industry is deserved of, but it is the only means left to us to make a point," he said.

"Livestock SA need to be accountable for their actions."

Mr Williams - who was a member of the SA Sheep and Goat Traceability Steering Committee which has developed a business plan for eID in SA which it has presented to the state government - says Livestock SA has not "acted in the best interests of producers" and simply appeased the government.

He says his push for an exemption for truck loads of vendor bred sheep and lambs consigned to the abattoir from their property of birth has been dismissed, despite having the backing of many producers.

When he joined the steering committee - which is made up of 13 members of the supply chain - he says his goal was to seek the exemption, but after extensive research Mr Williams has concluded there is no guarantee that eID will deliver an improvement on the mob-based system.

Dissatisfied with the majority of content in the steering committee's final business plan, Mr Williams last week completed a 66-page minority report which he presented to Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven and Opposition spokesperson for Agriculture Nicola Centofanti, among others.

"We should be asking the question, is it worth it? In my opinion it is not even close to justify spending $800 million of sheep producers' money," Mr Williams said.

"New Zealand is not even doing it and they sell a lot more sheep meat into Europe than we do."

Mount McIntyre producer James Teagle is among the producers who is seeking to retract his voluntary levies in frustration.

"We are supposed to be a democracy but no one has spoken to us," he said.

He says down the track he may consider putting eID tags in ewes if he can see a management benefit, but he sees no benefit being forced to tag their prime lambs. These are turned off at less than six months of age, nearly all direct to abattoirs.

"Our biggest concern is not the cost of the tags but the ongoing costs including the extra labour we will need," Mr Teagle said.

"It is unfair on producers to fork out to go down this path, especially the older generation with everything else that will be involved.

"I can't see that we need to be able to individually identify lambs in a mob, if you get a mob of lambs in they all get treated the same- the mob system is enough."

Binnum producer Nick Mueller is still waiting for a reply from Livestock SA to a letter he sent to the organisation in late March highlighting the importance of an exemption for vendor-bred sheep and lambs consigned to slaughter.

"As it is becoming evident that Livestock SA is pushing to mandate eID tags for all sheep I am questioning the use of my transaction levy funds," he said.

"I have looked up and worked out what I need to do and it is pretty straightforward - we would probably get $4000 or $5000 back."

He says electronic tags will just be another cost without any benefit.

He accepts that sheep being sold in saleyards may require an eID tag to enhance traceability but has not come across a single producer who is in favour of sheep or lambs consigned to the abattoir from their property of birth needing one.

"We had an owner of an abattoir come here a few years ago buying old ewes, and when we asked if we needed to tag a few that had lost their tags, he said "Why? We know where they are coming from," he said.

"His next comment was, you realise the tags only end up in the bin."

Livestock SA chief executive officer Travis Tobin stressed the work undertaken by a government-funded supply chain project that Livestock SA commenced prior to the mandate being announced and Livestock SA's consultation were two separate processes.

He says the steering committee has consulted with producers and other levels of the supply chain with farm, saleyard and processor visits as well as an online producer survey which received 685 responses.

Livestock SA has undertaken its own consultation, according to Mr Tobin, including 16 representations at producer field days, producer information sessions and Livestock SA regional meetings where it had been available to more than 550 producers for face-to-face discussions.

From this, Mr Tobin says Livestock SA has come up with its own set of principles in the government mandated transition to eID. These were highlighted in an open letter to all members in late April.

"Minister Scriven understands that Livestock SA's position is not necessarily the same as the project's steering committee," Mr Tobin said.

He says federal and state economic modelling shows that producers will wear more than 90 per cent of the implementation costs in the cost of tags across a reasonable time period. Therefore, they were supporting all efforts to keep tag costs as low as possible including tag tenders, government support and incentive schemes.

"The $1 figure, along with other aspects of eID implementation, continues to be discussed with other state farming organisations," Mr Tobin said.

Before any producers seek a refund he recommends they understand how the SIF works to ensure the continued development of the SA sheep industry. In 2022/23 it funded 28 projects covering a wide range of activities.

"Livestock SA manage the SIF as a service to industry, at a much lower cost to producers than when it was managed by PIRSA," he said.

"We are not the major recipient of SIF funds - our advocacy funding is less than 10pc of the funds raised annually."