IFA Encourage More Farmers to Make the Switch to Electronic Herd Register

IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman Michael Doran has welcomed the move by the Department of Agriculture to allow farms nominate an advisor or agent to act on their behalf in registering calves or recording farm-to-farm movements electronically.

Michael Doran said farmers who avail of this service will no longer be required to maintain a manual herd register or bluebook.

The IFA livestock leader said individual farmers who have registered to submit their data electronically are finding the service very useful, particularly in terms of avoiding errors and penalties as the electronic system prevents farmers from making errors.

Michael Doran said the latest move allowing the use of advisors and agents will help overcome the absence of broadband service in some areas.

The IFA livestock Chairman said this is a very useful but basic service for farmers and it should be available from service providers at minimal costs.

Michael Doran said IFA has been lobbying for the abolition of the herd register and moving to electronic recording and registration for some time.<span>   He encouraged all herd owners who had not already made the switch to consider seriously the options available to them to make the move.