Discussions are rampant amongst stakeholders in the horse industry surrounding a national traceability system. The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Reference Committee are inquiring into the feasibility of a National Horse Traceability Register. The focuses of the inquiry include the value of any state or industry-based registers, the potential benefits of a national register, horse tracking systems used overseas and funding. The NSW Farmers Association are involved in the federal inquiry, advocating for the government to support a traceability scheme, which is affordable to horse owners. As it stands, owners are not required by law to identify or register their horses and there is no overarching scheme to regulate horse movements. Although implementing a national system is not a fast or easy process, it is viewed as important for a range of reasons. The main purpose of a National Horse Register is to increase traceability of horses and in turn better control biosecurity risks. This is particularly important, given growing concerns about fatal diseases such as Hendra virus, which can affect both animals and people. At M+E we are advocates for a registration system that will simplify the registration and searching of horses on the Personal Property Securities Register.
