NAIT scheme registration opens

Like it or loathe it, the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme is set to become mandatory for cattle from February 1.

The registration process will give farmers a NAIT number to be used in all subsequent NAIT transactions, such as animal registration and movement recording.

This NAIT number is the link between farmers and the location at which they are in charge of animals. Registering animals on a property is set to be available when the scheme is mandatory.

This animal registration will result in animals being linked to the person responsible for them, and their location. This linkage of people, property and livestock is how the NAIT scheme will provide lifetime traceability.

It is worth noting that it is the property location of animals, rather than property ownership, which is important for lifetime traceability. NAIT Ltd advises farmers and people in charge of animals to register themselves and the properties where they are responsible for animals well before July 1, so they don't have to do everything at once.

Come the mandatory date, it will be difficult to move animals off-farm unless all the registration steps have been completed.

When creating a NAIT number, have your Animal Health Board (AHB) herd number handy because you will be asked to provide it. NAIT Ltd recommends you also have one or more of the following; your FarmsOnLine identity number, Dairy Participant Code and/or your Dairy Supply number.

You may not realise that the farm or property where you are in charge of animals has a FarmsOnLine farm identity number. This FarmsOnLine identity number is used to identify your property when creating a NAIT number.

If you do not know what your FarmsOnLine identity number is, you can search for it online at www.farmsonline.maf.govt.nz .

In addition to advising people in charge of cattle and deer to register, NAIT Ltd is continuing to advise farmers to keep tagging animals, particularly when they are young and easier to handle. However, when tagging older animals, do not remove any existing AHB-approved tags.

Deer are set to join the scheme on March 1, 2013, when all deer farmers must be registered with NAIT and deer moving off-farm must be tagged with a NAIT approved ear tag.

People in charge of deer can create NAIT numbers voluntarily from now and will be able to register and move deer from July 1, if they wish. NAIT Ltd has been working with sector partners to ensure the NAIT scheme's introduction is as stream-lined as possible to keep cost and workloads down for farmers.

Keep up-to-date with the scheme via NAIT's e-News. To sign up, go to the NAIT website and click on 'News and Publications'.