Sheep EID funding for Producers needed urgently

The Ulster Farmers Union has called today (Thursday March 25th 2010) on the Agriculture Minister and her officials to urgently deliver on her commitment to secure funding for sheep producers to help them in the initial years of moving to the new sheep tagging regulations.

New tagging rules were introduced into Northern Ireland on the 1st of January 2010 and from the 1st June 2010, all sheep leaving the holding will be required to be tagged with an electronic (EID) identifier. Sheep farmers should by now have received new notes for guidance and a flock register booklet (a new movement document is due to be issued before the end of the month), and the UFU say that attention must now turn to securing funding for these farmers to help them deal with the changeover.

UFU Beef and Lamb Committee Chairman, William Taylor said; “EID tagging will be an added expense for the producer and it is vital that they receive sufficient financial support from DARD to help smooth the introductory process. Funding for EID reading equipment has already been secured and will soon be paid out to markets, meat plants and others who will carry out the role of a central point of recording so funding producers should now take priority. The UFU understands that securing funding for flock keepers will require EU Approval which is unlikely to be given before the 1st June, but it is vital that the process is moved forward as quickly as possible and without any delays.”

Commenting on the need for financial support, UFU Hill Farming Chairman Seamus Maginn states; “In Northern Ireland, sheep producers will be required to identify all sheep that leave the holding from the 1st June 2010 with an electronic tag. This will be an additional cost and one in which producers will need the support from Government to help with the transition. Whilst we recognise that gaining EU approval may delay the process the Minister and her officials must do all they can to ensure that these delays are minimal.

“Producers are frustrated that funding has still not been found despite the legislation already being in place. The Minister announced in January that she would do everything in her power to secure funding to enable sheep producers to purchase EID tags and I would reiterate to her the importance and urgency of this matter. The UFU understand that any delays will not affect the level of funding going to flock keepers therefore producers who go ahead and purchase tags now will not be disadvantaged.”

DARD to host Sheep EID Information Seminars

Over the coming weeks, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) will host a number of information seminars for keepers to explain the new rules on sheep electronic identification (EID) and goat identification. All keepers of sheep and goats are welcome.

Seminars will be held at 8.00pm in the following venues:

Monday 22 February: Mourne Country Hotel, Newry
Monday 22 February: Manor Hotel, Ballymoney
Wednesday 24 February: Glenavon House Hotel, Cookstown
Tuesday 2 March CAFRE, Enniskillen Campus:
Wednesday 3 March: Millbrook Lodge Hotel, Ballynahinch

This will be a good opportunity for keepers to ask questions on the new rules, which came into operation at the beginning of this year.

Guidance booklets together with flock/herd registers and movement documents will be sent to keepers in the coming weeks. The current flock or herd registers and movement documents should be used until then.

Guidance on the rules can be found on the DARD website. Click here

Friday February 5th: Financial assistance for sheep electronic identification (EID)

Operators of sheep markets, abattoirs, export assembly centres, and slaughter collection centres are reminded that the closing date for funding applications is Monday 15 February 2010.

Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA announced the funding on 18 January 2010 to help these operators read sheep EID tags and complete movement documents on behalf of keepers. Any operator that wishes to read tags on behalf of keepers must be approved by DARD as a ‘Central Point of Recording’ and must comply with certain conditions of operation.

All operators should have received their application pack in the post by now. If not, please contact Veterinary Service Implementation Support Unit without delay on tel: 028 9052 4711.

Applications received after the deadline cannot be considered.

Gildernew announces sheep EID funding for movement recording

Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA, today (Monday January 18th 2010) announced funding for markets, abattoirs, export assembly centres, and slaughter collection centres (lamb groups) to help them read sheep EID tags and complete movement documentation on behalf of keepers.

Announcing the sheep EID funding, the Minister said: 'I have pledged all along to do my best to secure a measure of financial assistance to help the industry with the transition to Sheep EID, and can confirm today that 250,000 pounds will be made available from DARD. 'We all recognise that the introduction of sheep EID is necessary under EU Law and I want to do my best to ensure that the move to the new system is as smooth as possible.

'If markets, abattoirs, and others, perform the function of reading tags, and printing of movement schedules, this will greatly help keepers as they will not have to buy or use EID readers for movements to these premises.”

The Minister continued: 'For movements to approved premises the keeper will not need to list the tag numbers on the movement document. The keeper will only need to complete the general information, such as, their flock number, the number of animals moved and the registration number of the transporter. The keeper will be given a list of tag numbers after the sheep arrive, which must be kept with the movement document.'

Any market, abattoir or other premises, that wishes to read tags on behalf of keepers must be approved by DARD and comply with certain conditions of operation. They will be known as a “Central Point of Recording” or CPR.

The Minister concluded: 'The Department will specify conditions in the approval of a Central Point of Recording to ensure that traceability is maintained. Markets, abattoirs, export assembly centres, and slaughter collection centres will shortly be issued with an application form to enable them to apply to DARD for approval and funding. The funding will be available over the next couple of months.

'Finally, I want to reassure flock-keepers here that I am doing everything in my power to secure funding to enable them to purchase EID tags in the future. I have asked my officials to progress this as a matter of urgency.'

The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order (NI) 2009 came into operation on 31 December 2009. The main components of the system are: All lambs born or first tagged after 31 December 2009 must be identified with two identifiers bearing the same number, one of which must carry an EID device

Animals born during 2010 do not have to be tagged until they are nine months old or are being moved off the holding, whichever is the earlier. The new yellow EID tags will therefore not be needed for them until this point.

Existing green tags can no longer be applied.

Sheep born before 31 December 2009 can be moved before 1 June 2010 if they have at least one green tag in place, without the need to upgrade to EID.

Animals presently on farm will have to be upgraded to EID from 1 June 2010, but only when they move off the holding.

As green movement tags can no longer be applied, tag numbers do not have to be recorded on movement documents until animals are identified with the new tags.

Our current export rules will continue until 31 May 2010 for animals born before the end of 2009 and the use of blue export tags will be allowed.

Goat keepers will have to comply with the same recording requirements as sheep keepers but they can apply two matching conventional tags.

A guidance booklet will be issued to all keepers shortly together with flock/herd registers and movement document books. A series of information seminars to help explain the new rules on EID will be held shortly in your area. Full details will follow.

New rules announced for sheep EID and individual identification of goats

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) today (Wednesday December 23 2009) announced the new rules for electronic identification (EID) of sheep and individual identification of goats.

The new system, which requires that individual tag numbers of sheep and goats be recorded, is compulsory under EU legislation to ensure effective traceability. The system will be in place from 31 December 2009 and the main elements of the new rules will be phased in during the year.

The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order (NI) 2009 has been made and will come into operation on 31 December 2009. The main components of the system are:

All lambs born or first tagged after 31 December 2009 must be identified with two identifiers bearing the same number, one of which must carry an EID device.

Animals born after 31 December 2009 do not have to be tagged until they are nine months old or are being moved off the holding, whichever is the earlier.

The new EID tags, which will be yellow, will therefore not be needed for them until this point.

Existing green tags cannot be applied to animals after 31 December 2009.

Animals presently on farm will have to be upgraded to the new identification system from 1 June 2010, but only when they move off the holding.

Current export rules will continue until 31 May 2010 for animals born before the end of 2009 and the use of the blue export tag will be allowed.

Most keepers will not have to buy or use EID readers as we intend to allow markets and meat plants to read tags on their behalf. This means that keepers will not have to list tag numbers on these movement documents.

Goat keepers will have to comply with the same recording requirements as flock-keepers but they will not have to apply an EID tag.

Any slaughter tagged lambs, born after 31 December 2009, coming to the North from Britain will have to be upgraded to full EID before they leave Britain.

Keepers will retain their existing flock or herd number. Each flock/herd number will have the digit ‘’1’’ placed in front of it, so that all sheep and goat tag numbers in the north will begin with “17”.

There are a number of options available when applying replacement tags depending on the age and origin of the animal and these rules will be covered in more detail in the guidance booklet, which will be issued shortly. Where the animal is no longer on the holding of birth replacement tags must be red.

Keepers will have the option of using a paperless system of traceability by providing their information electronically through Aphis-Online.

DARD will write shortly to all keepers of sheep and goats to provide them with details of the new system. Guidance booklets together with flock/herd registers and movement document books will follow. The current documents should be used until then.

A series of information seminars to help explain the new rules on EID will be held in your area over the coming weeks. Details will follow.