Livestock Must Be Properly Tagged Under Identification And Traceability System

The police are reminding individuals selling livestock, particularly cattle, to ensure that they are tagged under the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS).

Designed to combat praedial larceny, the NAITS incorporates information on an animal’s identity, ownership, geographical location and movement activity.

It involves tagging animals with unique identifiers and issuing a passport, which enables farmers to properly track and detect their animal if stolen.

It is illegal to buy, sell, or slaughter cattle that are not affixed with ear tags under the NAITS.

“Where we come across any farmer, or any person who transports these animals without these tags and passports, then we take steps to prosecute those persons,” said Inspector Eugene Robinson, who is attached to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Area 3 Agricultural Protection Branch (APB).

He was addressing a recent Safety and Security YouTube Live Forum hosted by the Clarendon-based community development organisation, Serenity Resource Connector.

Inspector Robinson noted that while some farmers may have other means of marking their livestock, such as branding “there are animals that have no marking at all and it is very difficult to identify who they belong to”.

He acknowledged traditional identification mechanisms, such as the animal having a scratch behind its ear or a scar from an injury that the owner uses for identification.

“But it is a very difficult situation for the police to identify and match the animals back to the original owners, hence the need for undated methods, such as tagging,” he said.

The APB of the JCF serves to combat praedial larceny, integrating community partnerships and technology like drones.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is strengthening the legislative framework to tackle the issue and has increased patrols and seized vehicle related to agricultural theft