The integrity system for small landholders

Producer walking towards the camera

As a small landholder or hobby farmer, you are responsible for keeping your integrity records in order and ensuring your on-farm practices align with integrity system requirements.

Australia’s $31 billion red meat industry has a world-class reputation and our premium meat products are in high demand globally. This success is underpinned by our red meat integrity system, which includes food safety measures, quality assurance and traceability from paddock to plate.

A single failure to meet integrity system requirements can put livestock producers’ livelihoods, communities and Australia’s red meat industry at risk. All producers, regardless of the size of their operation, need to meet integrity requirements and stand by what they sell.

Integrity Systems Company (ISC) is responsible for managing and delivering the core elements which make up Australia’s red meat integrity system.

Requirements for hobby farmers

Participation in the LPA program is voluntary, but to access LPA NVDs – and hence a wider range of livestock selling options – you must be LPA-accredited. LPA NVDs are required by most processors and saleyards so if you intend to sell your livestock via these channels, you will need to become accredited with LPA and keep good records of your on-farm practices as part of your participation in the program.

If you choose not to be accredited with LPA, you will need to comply with the movement documentation requirements for your state or territory that are accepted instead of an LPA NVD. Contact your state or territory for more information.

The red meat integrity system

On-farm assurance

LPA is the Australian livestock industry’s on-farm assurance program, covering food safety, animal welfare and biosecurity. LPA provides evidence of how you manage your farm and animals and transfers this evidence along the value chain as livestock are bought and sold – from producers to processors and, eventually, our customers.

Access this page to find out more about the LPA program and how to meet LPA requirements, create farm records and LPA NVDs.

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Identification & traceability

NLIS is Australia’s system for the identification and traceability of cattle, sheep and goats.

NLIS combines three elements to enable the lifetime traceability of animals:

- Livestock identified by a visual or electronic eartag/device
- Physical locations identified by a Property Identification Code (PIC)
- Livestock location data and movements recorded in a central database

Learn more about NLIS and understand your responsibilities.

Learn more

LPA and NLIS are connected through:

National Vendor Declarations

An LPA National Vendor Declaration (NVD) is a legal document that guarantees on-farm practices meet LPA requirements for food safety, animal welfare and biosecurity. LPA NVDs are required for all livestock movements, including property to property, through saleyards, direct to processors and feedlots, and to the live export trade.

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Property Identification Codes

Property Identification Codes (PICs), which every livestock producing property must have to be registered with LPA or NLIS.

Learn more

Farm record keeping

Accurate records and systems are the foundation of the red meat integrity system. Producers need to keep records to demonstrate compliance with all integrity system requirements, including to support claims made on an LPA NVD. If you are selected for an LPA audit, your records will be reviewed by an auditor so it is important to make sure they are accurate and up-to-date.

Record keeping booklet

ISC has a number of free templates you can download from the website or order via your LPA account. You can upload your documents to your LPA account for safe keeping. Property risk assessments and biosecurity plans can also be completed online.

Access record-keeping templates.

Learn more

LPA learning and accreditation

LPA Learning is an online training tool which helps you to understand the seven LPA requirements. Producers have access to LPA Learning through their LPA account.

Once you’ve worked through the learning modules, you are ready to put the learning into practice and complete the LPA accreditation assessment. In this assessment, you’ll be asked a range of multiple-choice questions to test your understanding of LPA. This should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

The final step is to declare your commitment to abide by the LPA Rules and Standards. Once the fee is paid, an LPA accreditation certificate will be available for your records.

More information about LPA learning.

More information about LPA accreditation.

LPA audits

All LPA-accredited producers, from large scale operators to hobby farmers, may be audited to check how food safety, biosecurity and animal welfare is being managed on farm.

Sufficient records must be maintained to demonstrate that the seven LPA requirements are being met. Audits identify where practical on-farm improvements can be made to ensure consistency in food safety, product quality and animal welfare across the red meat industry.

It is a condition of accreditation that LPA properties agree to participate in the audit process. Your LPA accreditation can be withdrawn if you refuse to participate in an audit, which also means losing access to LPA NVDs.

More information about audits.

No service? No problem

The new eNVD mobile app allows you to transfer livestock easily, even when there is no internet at the yards.

Works in-conjunction with the eNVD web-based system
Save time by only answering questions once
Pre-populate your regular consignments

learn MORE about the envd mobile app

Setting up myMLA

myMLA is the gateway to accessing a range of MLA products and services including LPA. It provides a single sign-on facility to your NLIS, LPA, Meat Standards Australia and Livestock Data Link accounts – which means you only need to remember one username and password. Find out how to sign up to myMLA.

You must have a myMLA account to complete your LPA accreditation or access NVDs/eNVDs in your LPA account.

How does the NLIS work?

The National Livestock Identification System is Australia’s system for the identification and traceability of cattle, sheep and goats. NLIS reflects Australia’s commitment to biosecurity and food safety and provides a competitive advantage in a global market.

The NLIS combines three elements to enable the lifetime traceability of animals:

1. All livestock are identified by a visual or electronic eartag/device.

2. All physical locations are identified by means of a Property Identification Code (PIC)

3. All livestock location data and movements are recorded in a central database

learn more

Animal identification

All animals leaving a PIC, or property, must be identified with an NLIS-accredited device before they are moved, unless your state department of agriculture grants you an exemption or permit:

If you are moving an animal off its property of birth, it must be tagged with an NLIS-accredited breeder device. Once an animal has been tagged, the tag should remain with the animal for life.
If a tag is lost and the animal is no longer on its property of birth, it must be tagged with an NLIS-accredited post-breeder device. It is an offence to remove an NLIS tag from an animal and apply a different tag.

Tags Tags

More information on tagging requirements

Record livestock movements

When livestock are physically moved, a transfer must be completed on the NLIS database. This means the animal’s NLIS device number is transferred from one PIC to another PIC to reflect its physical location.

There are two types of transfer – movements of animals which are identified individually with RFID electronic eartags. This is for sheep and goats in Victoria and all cattle across Australia. The second is mob-based movements for sheep or goats which have a visual tag. Sheep and goats in all states, except Victoria, can complete both types of transfer depending on the type of tags they use on-farm.

All producers need an NLIS account because you are responsible for livestock on your property. NLIS livestock transactions and movements are included in an LPA audit.

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FAQs

While LPA accreditation is not mandatory to sell livestock, many buyers throughout Australia including saleyards and abattoirs require you to be LPA-accredited to sell livestock to them.

It is recommended that if you are not LPA accredited you contact the saleyard or abattoir prior to selling (consigning) your livestock to notify them that you are not LPA accredited and will instead use the alternate state department movement document.

Contact your state or territory for more information.

Hobby farmers who are accredited through LPA will need to keep all the same records as primary producers.

Find out more about record-keeping.

Hobby farmers must register livestock movements on the NLIS database, regardless of the property size or the number of animals on the property.

A Property Identification Code (PIC) is an eight-character code allocated by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) or an equivalent authority in each state or territory to identify a livestock-producing property. Producers must have a PIC to move livestock on and off a property – it forms the basis of Australia’s food safety and traceability programs. There are differences between states and territories in how PICs are managed.

You can check with your state or territory department of agriculture that your property’s PIC is registered in your name.

More information on PICs.

It is essential you understand the specific landholder/livestock owner requirements for your state or territory. Contact your relevant state/territory authority for more information.

Set-up a myMLA account at mymla.com.au so you can then set up your integrity system accounts. More information on linking your accounts.

You can register for an LPA account through myMLA. Your LPA accreditation means you can access either the paper NVD or the faster, easier electronic NVD. Ensure your LPA NVDs are clear, complete and correct. More information on Livestock Production Assurance (LPA).

Complete the LPA online learning modules through your LPA account or contact ISC for a printed copy.

Complete the LPA accreditation assessment through your LPA account and pay the accreditation fee.

Livestock need to be identified with an NLIS-accredited tag or device (depending on your state’s requirements) before they leave your property.

More information on animal identification.

You can set up a NLIS account through myMLA. Use the NLIS database to record livestock movements onto your PIC. If agents or third parties are completing database transfers for you, request an ‘upload ID’ for your records. Check that transfers off your PIC have been completed by the receivers of your livestock.

More information on National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).

Need more help or information?

Contact ISC Customer Service for more help with integrity at info@integritysystems.com.au or on 1800 683 111 between 8am and 7pm (AEDT), Monday to Friday.

Be sure to sign up to ISC’s monthly newsletter, Integrity Matters, for practical help and information on LPA, NLIS, NVDs and more. You can also follow ISC’s Twitter account and Facebook page for additional news and updates on integrity, or visit ISC’s Tools and Resources page to access a large range of practical tools and how-to guides to provide further assistance with integrity programs.