National Animal Identification and Tracing

National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) is a system of agricultural animal tracing in New Zealand for biosecurity and human health.

Introduced by the National Animal Identification and Tracing Act 2012 (which replaced the Animal Identification Act 1993), NAIT can refer to the Act, the company of the same name created by the Act, the schemes for cattle and deer or identification devices and identifiers issued under the schemes.

The schemes use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and a national database to trace animals from birth to either slaughter or live export.

On 1 July 2013 the NAIT company merged with Animal Health Board to become OSPRI New Zealand.

Federated Farmers, a farmers membership organisation, oppose the NAIT system saying that it will impose extra costs on farmers and will not result in any benefits. Farmers also fear that the NAIT scheme will be used to impose a greenhouse gas emissions tax under an emissions trading scheme. A Federated Farmers survey found that 2% supported NAIT and 80% opposed it. A NAIT working group claimed that there would be on-farm benefits.

Other animal identification systems include:

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