Two companies now approved to supply official bovine ID tags
The annual contract to be the single tag supplier in Ireland was awarded through a public procurement competition open to any tag supply company in the EU.
The annual contract is reckoned to be worth in the region of €20m.
This year, the Department of Agriculture dropped the single supplier system, which was opposed in particular by tag supply companies who claimed that it was anti-competitive.
Now, other approved suppliers can supply tags for the official bovine ID system, subject to approval for specified standards and conditions.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the single supplier model satisfied “very well” the requirements for tag suitability and security for a secure identification and traceability system.
The system also allowed economies of scale and avoided duplication of costs, enabling lower tag prices.
However, some in the industry believe that greater competition in the market between bovine tag suppliers will be to the benefit of farmers.
Now, all suppliers whose ear-tags meet the requirements set down in EU legislation and the Department of Agriculture’s specification, can supply approved tags, from November 1, 2016. This new arrangement will remain in place until December 31, 2017.
‘Tissue tags’ that are used for BVD testing purposes can be approved as the second official ear-tag if they meet the requirements of an identification tag.
Cormac Tagging has become the second company, after Eurotags, approved by the Department.
Free replacement tags and a free applicator with orders over 50 tags are being offered by Cormac, based in Galway.
It sells the standard one conventional and one tissue tag set at €2.68, including VAT and the 38c contribution to the ICBF.
Eurotags has increased its tag prices for the first time since 2012.
IFA Animal Health Chairman Bert Stewart has called for Department of Agriculture financial supports to farmers for tags and BVD testing, due to the “potentially increased costs for tags”.
