The Department of Agriculture has reversed its decision not to allow farmers to use up remaining stocks of yellow EID tag sets after 1 July.

A text message was sent to farmers earlier this week advising that any unused remaining stocks of conventional tag sets and yellow EID tags on farms must be used by 1 July, with surplus tag sets null and void from 1 July onwards.

However, this generated a strong reaction from farmers and the decision has now been reversed.

In response to queries submitted by the Irish Farmers Journal, a Department spokesperson said: “The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is cognisant that some farmers have been early adopters of EID technology and that some of these farmers have small stocks of EID tags on hand.

"In recognition of this, DAFM will provide for yellow EID tag sets to continue to be accepted to register calves. It is important to note that conventional tag sets will no longer be valid for registering calves from July 1 2022.”

Welcome decision

Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) animal health chair TJ Maher has welcomed the Department’s decision.

“The change to compulsory use of EID tags has been imposed on farmers by DAFM and it would not have been reasonable or fair to penalise farmers who moved ahead and embraced EID tagging before the official white tags were available from tag suppliers,” he said.

“We raised this issue directly with senior DAFM officials and we welcome the Department’s decision to allow existing stocks of EID tags to be used.”