A series of drop-in information sessions are about to get underway in the agricultural region to assist sheep and goat producers transition to the new mandatory electronic identification (eID) of their animals.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) will host the information sessions across the agricultural region, partnering with local grower groups and Community Resource Centres.
DPIRD staff will be on hand from 9am to 4pm to answer producers’ questions about all things eID, including how to access accounts, uploading livestock movements into the National Livestock Identification System and the use of eID scanning equipment.
Animal product integrity and traceability manager Michael Britton said the drop-in information sessions were a great opportunity for producers to resolve concerns and better understand their reporting obligations under the new system.
“We have been encouraged to see the level of eID tag uptake so far, as part of the transition to the new system,” Mr Britton said.
“The information sessions add to our efforts to help WA sheep and goat producers transition to the new system, alongside the DPIRD hotline, liaison with saleyards and abattoirs, and industry engagement.
“Our officers are working hard to get everyone ready for all sheep and goats to be scanned and recorded on the NLIS database.”
The Australia-wide eID system for sheep and goats will aid a rapid response in the event of an emergency animal disease or food safety incident, strengthening valuable domestic and international trade.
DPIRD administers the system in WA, which will improve traceability and biosecurity, and boost market confidence for industry.
Since the commencement of the program in WA, more than 10 million sheep and goats have been fitted with eID tags, including about 5.5 million lambs that were marked in 2025.
The mandatory eID system will come into full operation on 1 July 2026, when all sheep and goats will be required under legislation to be eID tagged before leaving any property.
Mr Britton said the Tag Incentive Payment (TIP) scheme had been extended for a fourth year to support producers by providing a 60-cent discount per NLIS-accredited eID tag.
“The scheme has expanded to include orange 2026 year-of-birth tags, as well as pink and yellow eID tags required for tagging older stock, which includes sheep and goats born prior to 1 January 2025,” he said.
“It is important to check for existing eIDs before tagging, as only one functional eID is allowed per animal and eIDs and visual tags can look very similar.
“All pink and yellow eIDs are applied to the same ear as the existing visual tag, which should not be removed.”
More information on the eID transition is available on the department’s website. Producers with queries can contact the DPIRD sheep and goat eID hotline between 9am – 4.30 pm weekdays on 1300 926 547.
The first DPIRD eID drop-in information sessions will be held at Wandering CRC (1 April), Coorow CRC (16 April), Boyup Brook CRC (22 April) and Nungarin CRC (13 May).
For details and more locations visit Electronic identification for sheep and goats webpage.
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