Taranaki farmer fined $15,000 for illegal NAIT tag swapping
A Taranaki farmer and livestock agent who illegally swapped NAIT tags from cows infected with a bovine disease in an attempt to sell the cows has been fined $15,000.
And the backlash has prompted NAIT Ltd to defer a final decision on proposed increased to levies to May 19.
Consultation with farmers and collection agents closed February 25.
Throughout the 5-week consultation period, NAIT ran four public webinars and attended 19 committee meetings and primary sector events to discuss the proposal and allow stakeholders an opportunity to ask questions and have their say.
It says 147 submissions were made with a mix of submitters, including levy payers, primary sector groups and collection agents.
NAIT says while not everyone supported the proposed increase in levies, the overall sentiment from the submissions is a reluctant acceptance of the need to increase funding to improve the system, and that NAIT Ltd needs to deliver on their commitments to create a user-friendly and effective system.
Based on the submissions received, the NAIT board has decided to defer any decision on levies to allow for a comprehensive review of feedback.
NAIT is part of OSPRI, an industry organisation set up to manage animal disease.
NAIT head of traceability Kevin Forward says OSPRI is determined to get better at listening to the farmers and industries they service.
“The purpose of this consultation was to hear and consider the feedback from levy payers before making any decisions,” says Forward.
“Based on feedback, the NAIT board has decided to defer the decision on increasing levies to further consider the submissions received. I believe this shows our commitment to genuinely engage with levy payers on the proposal.”
