Editorial - Securing future market access through animal identification and tracing
Douglas Birnie
Unlike almost all other developed nations, New Zealand is highly dependent on primary production for export income. Agriculture, horticulture and forestry, and the processes and services that are set up alongside them, contribute around 17 percent to our gross domestic product. They provide around two-thirds of our total merchandise exports, and have long been the greatest contributors to our export earnings.
In 2006/07, the export value of our livestock industries in the beef, deer and dairy sectors was almost $10.5 billion. Any major restriction in our current markets would be felt not only by individual farmers and industry sectors, but also by their associated service industries and on through to affect the country as a whole.
Both the Government and the livestock industries have been concerned for some time by the imperative of maintaining our overseas markets. International markets are becoming more discerning, with an increasing number of buyers and consumers becoming interested in the ability to trace primary produce back to individual farms. A number of countries in North and South America, Europe and the Far East, have animal identification and traceability systems underway, based on the ability to trace individual animals. Now that trading partners have the ability to choose products that offer this opportunity, it is clear that countries or suppliers that can provide whole-of-life tracing for their animal products will be preferred in future.
Aware of this global trend for other exporting countries to adopt traceability systems for their produce, the New Zealand Government and livestock industries began joint discussions four years ago on how to improve these systems in this country. An article later in this magazine outlines the result: a unique agreement in partnership, which aims to secure our future access to overseas markets through developing an animal identification and tracing system.
While New Zealand already has individual identification schemes for some livestock, it is now time to take a more systematic approach to ensure our continued recognition as world leaders in the production of top quality animal products. New Zealand has been able to trade on its disease-free status, and maintaining this position is vital, both economically and socially. To meet future requirements we will need to be able to demonstrate to our trading partners that we have effective systems to identify and trace all animals that may be affected should there be a disease outbreak, to target our response activities, and to provide evidence to back up assurances about our national status for livestock diseases. The National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) project aims to address these issues, starting with cattle and deer.
The best national systems are those where the Government, producers and processors work together to meet common needs. The NAIT partners who have contributed in developing the system include representatives from the Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (Inc), the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, Deer Industry New Zealand, Meat & Wool NZ Ltd, DairyNZ, Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc), the New Zealand Food Safety Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
The global trends which have led to the development of NAIT show how vital it is that individual animal identification and tracing works for the good of all participants. The partnership approach to the NAIT project has been essential to ensure that the concerns and needs of all parties are recognised and addressed. Its benefits will be seen far beyond the contribution of the individual participants. I am confident it sets a solid foundation for New Zealand's land-based industries and rural communities to continue building the economic and social future of the country.
- Douglas Birnie
Director, Policy and Risk,
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
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Page last updated: 11 July 2008