Federated Farmers urges perseverance on NAIT re-registration

Technical and other issues are not helping with re-registration for the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme but Federated Farmers is urging all farmers to persevere.

"This is too important to backslide on. The Mycoplasma bovis issue has highlighted why we need excellent levels of compliance with NAIT," Feds Dairy Chairperson Chris Lewis says.

"All of us - farmers and OSPRI - need to pull together to get NAIT working well. In terms of eradicating M. bovis, to borrow the words of Ed Hillary, that’s the way we’ll ‘knock the bastard off’."

Following the recent NAIT system upgrade, every person in charge of animals must re-register their NAIT location. Less than a week out from Gypsy Day (June 1), when hundreds of sharemilkers around the country move their cows, equipment and families to new farms, there is concern that more than 7000 dairy farms are yet to re-register.

"OSPRI representatives have come along to just about every one of our 24 provincial AGMs to explain current pressures on the system, and we really thank them for that. Their 0800 call centre staff are grappling with significant backlogs, and out on the farm it’s not helping that poor broadband is hindering the on-line processes," Chris says.

"There are also a minority of farmers and lifestyle block holders who seem unaware - or even worse, unconcerned - about their obligations. They need to up their game."

Re-registration, and other aspects of NAIT compliance, is essential, Chris says. There is a lot of useful information at https://ospri.co.nz/

"If you’re having technical issues with the system, or you’re trying to get through on the 0800 number, we know it’s frustrating. But please persevere."

ENDS

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