Property Identification Codes, or PICs, are an important element of livestock traceability.

PICs identify the properties on which livestock graze and certain plants grow.

They provide vital information about the whereabouts of animals and enable the Victorian Government to contact and support owners during disease outbreaks and emergencies.

You are required by law to have a PIC if you have the following in Victoria:

• one or more pigs, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas, deer, horses, camel or cattle
• more than 50 poultry, 10 emus or ostriches
• 0.5 hectares or more of grapevines
• 20 or more chestnut trees.

To apply for a PIC, open an internet browser and type pic.agriculture.gov.au into your address bar, then type enter.

Select ‘apply for a new PIC’, then click continue.

Enter your contact details.

Be sure to include the area code of any landline phone numbers.

Supplying an email address along with multiple phone numbers will give us the best opportunity to make contact during an emergency.

If the livestock or crop on this PIC is co-owned by another person or business their details can be added as a joint owner.

If you are sharing land but each person has their own livestock or crop, apply for separate PICs.

To add a joint owner, click here, and enter their details.

The farm manager is the person who can be contacted regarding the day-to-day operations of the land registered to your PIC.

If that person is someone other than yourself, add their contact details here.

Please note, you can only nominate one farm manager.

The property owner is the person who can be contacted regarding the ownership of the land registered to your PIC.

If that person is someone other than yourself enter the property owner details.

When you've completed the contact details section click the green continue button.

The system will alert you if you entered an invalid phone number or email address. If you get an alert, review the information and resolve any issues, then click continue.

Now, you need to map your property.

You can enter multiple properties or parcels of land to the same PIC provided they are in the same or neighbouring Local Government Area.

If you have livestock or crop in other non-adjoining localities you will need to apply for multiple PICs.

This is a very important step and should be completed with care.

To map your property, search for the area on the map and click the land to add it to your addresses.

If you cannot find your property, please call the helpline for assistance.

When a property is mapped it will be highlighted in blue and appear in a list on the right-hand side of your screen under ‘addresses’.

If you select the wrong property, click it on the map again to remove it or click the cross next to the property in your addresses list.

You may want to enter a smaller parcel of land than the system automatically selects.

To do this, click ‘further instructions’ and tick the box that says ‘let me select parcels of land’.

Now, choose the parcel of land where you are going to keep livestock or grow crops.

Your primary property is the main property where you keep your livestock or grow your crop.

To change your primary property, click on the appropriate listing.

When all of your properties or parcels have been added, click the green continue button.

Finally, enter the livestock and crop you have on your property.

If you do not have any livestock at present but intend to in the future please tick ‘yes’ and enter what you propose to have on your property.

This can be an estimate if you're unsure of the exact number you will have a keep in the future.

When you are satisfied the livestock and crop figures are indicative of your property, save them.

Review your application.

If you spot any errors, click the green edit button in the relevant section to correct the error.

Now, read the acknowledgment and click if you agree.

Now continue.

Allow seven business days for your PIC application to be processed.

You will receive a card in the mail with your eight-digit PIC.

It's important to keep your PIC up-to-date.

Amend your PIC online if you change contact details, hire a new farm manager, the property on which your livestock or crop is located changes ownership, the livestock or crop you have changes, or you purchase, sell or lease land.

If you have any difficulty applying for or amending your PIC, talk to the friendly staff at the Agriculture Victoria NLIS Helpline on 1800 678 779 between 9am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

For more information about PICs, go to the Agriculture Victoria website.