December 1 (JIS): Local cattle farmers are being encouraged to tag all their animals under the National Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) in order to access key export markets. Praedial Larceny Prevention Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Superintendent Oral Pascoe, has reiterated that tagging animals under NAITS is a requirement if farmers intend to export beef products. “When you have a properly instituted [system] and all the persons are complying with NAITS, beef can be exported. Without us having this law in place and instituting all the regulations under NAITS, it is very difficult to enter certain lucrative markets to export patties. This would be one of the biggest barriers, because we have to have traceability in case a disease breaks out,” Supt. Pascoe informed. He was speaking during a recent stakeholder engagement session for the Ministry’s New FACE of Food campaign, in Yallahs, St. Thomas. The Superintendent said in addition to helping public health officials trace the source of a disease outbreak, animal tagging assists the police in identifying legitimate owners of animals stolen by thieves. “It gives the police a reason to stop and check. Traceability is there to check where the animal came from… along with the receipt book of course,” he noted. The receipt book system, according to Supt. Pascoe, is “critical in the traceability framework”. His comments come as the Ministry undertakes a drive to boost production and export opportunities for farmers by educating them about various best practices and international requirements for export. The new FACE of Food campaign initiative focuses on Food Security, Agribusiness Development, Climate Change Technologies and Export Expansion. Flagship programmes under the engagement will focus on several crops, including yam, breadfruit, sweet potato, ackee and mango, as well as small ruminants and aquaculture.

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