Cattle Tag Prices On The Way Down

QUEENSLAND - beef producers are set to receive overdue savings on electronic cattle tags with a new player in the market today offering a retail price 11 per cent under current market values.

13 June 2007

2 minute read

Oceania

AgForce Cattle president Greg Brown said the price reduction was the result of the State Government’s recently announced innovation grants which were part of a $20 million national package for National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) implementation secured just before the last federal election.

“Two years on from lobbying by AgForce and the Cattle Council of Australia, the flow on effects of that national funding are about to benefit producers in Queensland, the country’s biggest beef producing state,” Mr Brown said.

“AgForce successfully lobbied for the Queensland State Government to play its part and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) allocated $800,000 to go toward NLIS programs.”

Mr Brown said as of this morning (Tuesday, June 12), the new market player had offered tags for as low as $3.03 (including GST), plus postage.

“This is about 11 per cent below the current recommended retail price for NLIS approved devices,” he said.

“The bottom line for producers is simple: increased competition should deliver reduced prices in future.”

Mr Brown said the introduction of the innovation grants was a positive step by both the federal and state governments toward making industry traceability more affordable for producers.

“Although this has taken longer than we would have liked, producers have been patient and the move by State Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin and his department in implementing these grants is welcome at the grassroots level of our industry,” he said.

“We appreciate the efforts the Minister has gone to in order to deliver these savings on the ground.”