National Animal Identification and Tracing

NAIT was introduced by the National Animal Identification and Tracing Act 2012{{cite book|last1=Pizzuti|first1=T.|last2=Mirabelli|first2=G.|editor1-last=Espiñeira|editor1-first=Montserrat|editor2-last=Santaclara|editor2-first=Francisco J.|title=Advances in Food Traceability Techniques and Technologies: Improving Quality Throughout the Food Chain|date=2016|publisher=Woodhead Publishing|isbn=9780081003213|page=183|chapter=Future technology in tracing animals on the food chain}} which replaced the Animal Identification Act 1993. NAIT can refer to the Act, the company of the same name created under the Act, the schemes for cattle and deer or identification devices and identifiers issued under the schemes.

On 1 July 2013 the NAIT company merged with Animal Health Board to become OSPRI New Zealand.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

The investigation into the 2017 Mycoplasma bovis outbreak indicated that farmers were not being fully compliant, e.g. with the "cash sale" of bobby calves, although there has only been one conviction under the act (resulting in a $150 fine).{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/104259976/qa-on-mycoplasma-bovis-untangling-truth-from-fiction-of-cattle-disease |title= QA on Mycoplasma bovis, untangling truth from fiction of cattle disease |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 28 May 2018}}

{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/98105964/primary-industries-head-criticises-farmers-for-not-tagging-animals?rm=m |title= Primary industries head criticises farmers for not tagging animals |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 20 October 2017}}{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/99816823/nait-responsibility--the-buck-stops-with-farmers |title= NAIT responsibility: the buck stops with farmers |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 15 December 2017}}{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/100059267/farmers-given-ultimatum-to-comply-with-animal-tagging-system |title= Farmers given ultimatum to comply with animal tagging system |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 20 December 2017}}{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/103942896/why-nait-failed-in-cattle-disease-outbreak--and-whats-being-done-about-it |title= Why NAIT failed in cattle disease outbreak and what's being done about it |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 16 May 2018}}

A 2018 law change "under urgency" gave the ministry extra powers to enforce the act.{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/104016092/changes-to-animal-tracing-system-ordered-with-tougher-approach-to-enforcement?rm=a |title= Changes to animal tracing system ordered with tougher approach to enforcement |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 18 May 2018}}{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/106354345/law-changes-give-mpi-more-power-in-wake-of-cattle-disease |title= Law changes give MPI more power in wake of cattle disease |publisher= Stuff (Fairfax) |date= 17 August 2018}}

Federated Farmers, a farmers membership organisation, initially opposed the NAIT system saying that it would impose extra costs on farmers and will not result in any benefits.{{cite web|url=http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/n515.html|title=Feds say no to NAIT|last=Federated Farmers|date=2008-05-22|publisher=Federated Farmers|accessdate=2009-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016024045/http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/n515.html|archive-date=16 October 2008|url-status=dead}} Farmers also feared that the NAIT scheme would be used to impose a greenhouse gas emissions tax under an emissions trading scheme. A Federated Farmers survey found that 2% supported NAIT and 80% opposed it.{{cite news|title=Farmers fear fishhooks in tagging plan|last=Steeman|first=Marta|date=2009-01-02|work=The Press}} A NAIT working group claimed that there would be on-farm benefits.{{cite news|title=Farmers fear fishhooks in tagging plan|last=Steeman|first=Marta|date=2009-01-02|publisher=The Press}}

In November 2019, Federated Farmers meat and wool chairman Miles Anderson welcomed amendments to the NAIT legislation and thanked the Primary Production Select Committee for listening to representations from Federated Farmers and other parties.{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Annete |title=Farmers happy with NAIT changes |url=https://farmersweekly.co.nz/section/dairy/view/farmers-happy-with-nait-changes |access-date=19 August 2021 |work=Farmers Weekly |date=11 November 2019}} In mid–May 2021, the group welcomed the 2021 New Zealand budget's allocation of $22 million in funding to the NAIT scheme, which aims to help authorities respond to issues such as mycoplasma bovis.{{cite news |title=Budget 2021: Federated Farmers welcome funding, Dairy NZ says it missed the mark |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/443048/budget-2021-federated-farmers-welcome-funding-dairy-nz-says-it-missed-the-mark |access-date=19 August 2021 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=21 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616080844/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/443048/budget-2021-federated-farmers-welcome-funding-dairy-nz-says-it-missed-the-mark |archive-date=16 June 2021|url-status=live}}

• Animal identification

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2012/0002/latest/whole.html National Animal Identification and Tracing Act 2012]
• [http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/consol_act/naiataa2018428/ National Animal Identification and Tracing Amendment Act 2018]
• [http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0096/latest/whole.html Animal Identification Act 1993 (repealed)]
• [http://www.nait.co.nz/ National Animal Identification and Tracing]
• [https://ospri.co.nz OSPRI New Zealand]

Category:Agriculture in New Zealand

Category:Identification of domesticated animals