Farmers make submissions on chips in cattle

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About 40 farmers have made submissions on the proposed National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme which has proposed electronic chips be used to identify cattle and deer.

Ian Corney, independent chairman of the joint industry/government working group, said there had been a lot of interest in the proposal, and the submissions will help shape the system's design.

Meat processors and animal product exporters made 13 submissions, and nearly 50 were from a variety of agricultural organisations and industry associations.

"We now we have to work carefully through the issues and make sure we respond properly to them," Mr Corney said.

The working group is also running farmers' meetings and attending agricultural shows to talk to farmers, processors, stock and station agents, and livestock transporters.

The scheme's "electronic eartags" will use radio frequency identification (RFID) and record the information on a centralised computer database.

Some farmers have questioned whether the database could be used to help calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from their livestock, and others have expressed concern that the database will provide scope for sheep to later be included.

Mr Corney last week told critics at a Federated Farmers meat and wool council meeting that the key to the system will be in ensuring strong farmer representation in its governance.

Large meat exporters have supported the project, saying that individual traceback is likely to be required by key customers in affluent markets.

- NZPA