Property ID codes: PIC system pilot under development for cropping, horticulture

Plans to introduce property ID codes for plant properties, similar to livestock’s PIC system, is quietly being developed by federal and state governments.

The Federal Government is considering ways to introduce a property ID code system for cropping and horticulture.

The Federal Government has not abandoned plans to introduce a property identification system for cropping and horticulture, after industry warned it could drastically increase costs and red tape for the sector.

A pilot program for property identification for plant producers is under development – but major farm lobbies have been in the dark on its progress.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment first proposed to extend the livestock property identification code system to all producers in August 2019, in a bid to increase its agricultural data collection.

The reform was in response to recommendations from a 2017 biosecurity that called for a “nationally consistent system” for the allocation and use of PICs across animal and major plant production sectors.

State and territory governments issue PICs to properties with livestock and the Victorian Government also issues them to vineyards greater than 0.5ha in size or properties with more than 20 chestnut trees. 

Grain producers, however, argued a PIC system would just duplicate existing traceability already in the supply chain, adding costs and regulation without any additional benefits.

The new rules were due to be finalised by the end of 2019, but there has been little mention of the reforms since then.

However, The Weekly Times can reveal a working party is “exploring alternative arrangements” for a plant PIC system, with a pilot “technological solution” under development.

“Implementation of a property identification system for the plant sector is an important aspect of increasing our ability to respond to food safety, biosecurity and emergency management events and to demonstrate pest and disease freedom,” a department spokeswoman said.

She said the working group was looking at the “most effective and least burdensome way to achieve a nationally consistent system”, which could include using existing traceability systems.

Consultation with industry and the public would occur as work progressed, the spokeswoman said.

Major groups contacted by The Weekly Times including the National Farmers’ Federation, GrainGrowers and Grain Producers Australia had yet to hear of the ongoing work.

GPA chair Andrew Weidemann said given most grain farmers also ran livestock, and there was a national grains register and levy-payer database, it “seems silly to duplicate something that’s already there”.

GrainGrowers chair Brett Hosking agreed: “If they want to solve a problem, why not spend that money on something that actually needs fixing?”