The Biosecurity (National Livestock Identification System) Regulation 2025 establishes livestock identification and traceability requirements in the Australian Capital Territory under the Biosecurity Act 2023. It requires properties keeping specified livestock, and properties operating abattoirs, saleyards, stock events, goat depots or cattle scale operations, to have property identification codes. It also provides for identification codes for stock and station agents and regulates their allocation, transfer, inactivation, cancellation and updating. The Regulation requires cattle, sheep, goats and pigs to be permanently identified in accordance with prescribed requirements before movement, sale or slaughter, subject to stated exceptions. It regulates the accreditation, supply, acquisition, attachment, removal and disposal of permanent identifiers and prohibits their alteration, improper reuse and counterfeiting. Separate provisions permit voluntary permanent identification of equines and camelids. Most contraventions are strict liability offences carrying a maximum penalty of 50 penalty units. Owners, agents, buyers and operators of saleyards, abattoirs, farm properties, stock events, goat depots and cattle scale operations must prepare, provide, retain and report prescribed information concerning livestock deliveries, sales, movements, slaughter, export and deaths. Reportable transactions must be notified to the National Livestock Identification System administrator within specified periods. The Regulation establishes Territory and national registers to support disease and residue control, food safety, market access, ownership verification, livestock tracing, animal welfare and land management, and provides for administrative review of specified identification-code decisions.
Australia · 2025-04-17