Factory opt-out clause raises more EID hackles

THE IFA has accused the Department of Agriculture of making the electronic tagging of sheep (EID) “compulsory for farmers and optional for factories”.

All factories were expected to operate as Central Points of Recording (CPRs) for sheep but it has emerged that this is an optional decision for slaughter plants. In letters to farmers, the Department confirmed that slaughter plants “will have the option to operate as Central Points of Recording”.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has cited the reduction in the amount of documentation needed for sheep movements as one of the main labour-saving advantages of EID. However, if factories decide not to operate as CPRs, this reasoning will be undermined.

“Minister Creed promised sheep farmers that he would insist that all factories and marts would have to provide farmers with a full and accurate print-out of their EID tags numbers for consignments of sheep delivered — this in turn would make the dispatch documents much simpler for farmers,” said IFA sheep chairman Sean Dennehy.

However, the Department has now informed farmers that where a mart or slaughter plant decides not to operate as an approved CPR, the full individual identification number of each animal presented in a particular batch must be listed on the dispatch document accompanying sheep to that premises.

Meanwhile, ICSA sheep chairman John Brooks said he hoped sheep farmers had ordered conventional tags by last Friday’s deadline. Conventional tags are permitted for use until June 1, 2019.

“The reality is that EID tagging has been forced upon us without any real consideration for the sheep farmer,” he said. “There will be no benefit accruing to the sheep farmer for using EID tags. Neither will the consumer benefit as there is no additional traceability gained.

“At least by utilising conventional tags until the June 1 deadline farmers can delay paying out for more expensive electronic tags.”