We had the pleasure of recently hosting a delegation of officials from the Brazilian Government who are visiting Australia to learn more about our world-class traceability framework and processes to help inform them of their system back home.
We shared information on the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and the role Victoria plays.
Most of interest was how our local traceability system continues to evolve, given electronic NLIS tags have been mandatory for cattle in Australia for more than a decade and in 2017 become mandatory for sheep and goats in Victoria.
We delved into how the system, while not perfect continues to enhance the ability to trace animals in the case of a disease outbreak and some of the opportunities that can be explored when it comes to tracing stolen livestock through Victoria Police.
It was also a great opportunity to showcase the VFF’s Stock Sense project on an international scale and the fantastic resources on offer to local farmers through this initiative.
Given the large size of the Brazilian livestock industry and some of the unique challenges they face, it was fantastic to share information that ensures the livestock industry can continue to grow and our world class system continues to be on show.