Lifestylers have become a key focus for Ospri as it ups the efficiency of the national animal identification tracing (NAIT) programme.
Ospri head of traceability Kevin Forward says a lot of lifestyle properties now border farms and it’s important these property owners understand their responsibility when it comes to owning animals.
Real Estate New Zealand statistics show more than 7000 lifestyle properties change hands every year.
Whether you have a dozen animals or even just one, as person in charge of animals (PICA) there is a legal obligation to register with Nait and keep your account up-to-date if managing NAIT animals.
“Some of these small holdings are retired farmers, but a lot of these people are lifestylers who have absolutely no farming experience,” Forward said.
“They think it’s all good but have no understanding around the legal obligations of owning animals and associated biosecurity requirements.
“That is a big concern and a big part of the NAIT push now.”
Ospri partnered with Federated Farmers and FMG to establish the plan on how to work more closely together to get the message out.
“We would rather educate to be compliant but, if need be, we will enforce and prosecute,” he said.
“This is about protecting NZ, livestock identification, animal welfare and of key importance we don’t want to compromise the (NAIT) programme and put farmers at risk.”
Forward says the importance of being prepared for a biosecurity incursion such as TB, Mycoplasma bovis or foot-and-mouth disease is the responsibility of all animal owners, no matter what size the property.
“We are doing a real push up over the next 12 months to get lifestyle and smallholding property owners up with the play and understanding the importance of NZ’s biosecurity and what they need to do,” he said.
“We will go far and wide to engage with lifestylers and get the message out there through our regional Ospri committees, lifestyle magazines, media, any way we can.
So, what is a NAIT animal?
NAIT animals are cattle and deer that must be registered and tagged in the Nait programme.
A Nait location running other livestock, such as sheep, pigs, alpacas, as well as the cattle and deer, is required by law to declare the number of all other stock before July 31 each year.
Non-NAIT stock are not required to be registered and tagged, just declared.
A property where you are in charge of NAIT animals is a Nait location that once mandatorily registered is then assigned a unique NAIT number.
Properties running only non-NAIT animals are not deemed a Nait location and are not required to register or declare stock.
As a lifestyle farmer it has become virtually impossible to avoid Nait and it is unlikely you will be able to buy any cattle or deer without it having a NAIT number, a tag or movement recorded in the Nait online system
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) that undertakes enforcement of Nait is also escalating its compliance drive so prosecution is possible for not tagging and registering NAIT animals on your property.
Failure to register your property is liable for an $800 fine and if you decide not to re-register, it’s a $400 fine.
This fine also applies to every individual animal or movement that is not recorded in Nait.
Forward says the point is an animal that is tagged and Nait registered can be traced and this lessens the risk of introducing an animal-borne disease onto your property, or for that matter, your neighbour’s.
To meet Nait obligations the Ospri website has specific information for lifestylers/small block owners on what they need to do and how to go about meeting their legal requirements.
Every property, no matter how big or small, is required to have its own individual NAIT number and assigned tags.
For more information and to register a property go to: www.ospri.co.nz/farmers-and-livestock-owners/tracing-farm-animals/lifestyle-farmers-and-pet-owners/
