Communique seven

5 May 2022

The National Horse Traceability Working Group (NHTWG) met on 5 May 2022 to progress its work on the design of a traceability system for horses, donkeys and mules in Australia.

The NHTWG is currently seeking feedback via a consultation survey on proposed business rules that will describe and underpin a biosecurity focused National Horse Traceability System (NHTS).   Once finalised, the business rules will be one component of a suite of recommendations provided by the NHTWG to Agriculture Ministers Meeting (AMM) in mid-2022 for their consideration.

In January 2022, an independent report by Marsden Jacob Associates was released which focused on the potential role of a horse traceability system in the context of biosecurity.  This report discusses four options in relation to the design and operation of a NHTS and has been used to guide the preparation of draft business rules prepared by NHTWG.

The consultation survey opened on 27 April 2022 and closes on 25 May 2022. All sectors of the horse industry, including industry organisations and horse owners and carers, are invited to complete the survey.

The draft business rules outline how horse traceability will be achieved across the industry, which industry roles will have specific obligations as part of the system and what movement records and record keeping will be required.  In summary, the NHTS which the NHTWG is proposing will be based on:

• Refreshing and maturing the Property Identification Code (PIC) system managed by states and territories.
• Introducing uniform national PIC related business rules for property and other locations where horses reside.
• Enabling enforcement of PIC related legislation.
• Requiring base level movement information to be recorded and maintained by all sectors of the horse industry.

Further information on the consultation can be found on the Horse Traceability webpage.

The NHTWG will next meet in June 2022 ahead of finalising its report to AMM.

For further information or any enquiries, please email horse.traceability@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Stuart McLean

Chair, National Horse Traceability Working Group

Back to the Horse traceability page.