Livestock agent  goes digital

Recent updates to the electronic National Vendor Declaration (eNVD) system have improved access and functionality for many stakeholders across the red meat supply chain.

Xavier Bourke, livestock agent with TB White and Sons in Ballarat, says new enhancements to the eNVD mobile app and web-based system have improved communication across the supply chain and delivered crucial benefits to his business.

“We’re now able to make changes or add comments to consignments in real-time as they move through the system here at the Ballarat saleyards,” he said.

Xavier said this enhanced ability to communicate has been hugely beneficial across the whole supply chain.

"The new eNVD is a crucial part of the puzzle and if transporters, agents, producers, and abattoirs or feedlots can be on the same page and work together more efficiently the whole system is going to benefit.”

In the following video, Xavier explains how recent updates to the eNVD have benefitted his work as a livestock agent.

Splitting consignments

Being able to add buyers and split consignments across multiple buyers has also helped improve the sales process for both agents and their clients, as well as making it easier for the end buyer.

“We’ve found it especially helpful during sales when we might have multiple buyers looking for selected livestock from one consignment, rather than an entire pen, and we can action that sale through the office in real-time,” Xavier said.

View and share attachments

Xavier said the enhanced ability to view and share attachments via either the mobile app or web-based eNVD is a real timesaver for both agents and their clients.

“You can log in to the eNVD and you've got all your producer forms there that you need to sell the livestock. As an agent, having these in one place online makes my life so much easier,” he said.

“Before we’d often be chasing our clients for these forms, but now we can work with the producer to complete these attachments in real-time, either on farm or in the yards” he said.

Enhanced traceability

Xavier sees the new eNVD app as a step forward for the industry but says it’s particularly beneficial for producers looking to export markets.

“The improved ability to see what’s happening with a consignment in real-time is going to become increasingly important to producers wanting to sell their meat overseas. Buyers are chasing real-time traceability and the new eNVD system delivers that from start to finish.”

Improved record keeping

With traceabilty becoming increasingly essential to the success of the red meat industry, Xavier said efficient record keeping has become a priority for both producers and their agents.

“Having all your records in one spot is going to make life easier when you want to go back and look at or compare your sales and consignment history, or if you need to access your traceability records, or when you’re preparing for your LPA audits or abattoir audits.”

The future is digital

Xavier said that the industry will inevitably need to shift to digital consignments and both agents and producers will eventually have to get on board with this.

“I think as an industry we can sometime take a bit longer to embrace change, but I think with a younger generation now starting to adopt these digital tools we’re going to need to make that shift sooner rather than later.”