Agriculture Ministry Unveils Plan to Cut Cattle-Tagging Backlog for Jamaican Farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture has rolled out a package of measures aimed at easing a growing backlog in the national cattle-tagging programme, following sustained complaints from livestock farmers across Jamaica.

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green outlined the plan on Wednesday during the opening of the Jamaica Agricultural Society's 128th general meeting, held at the Denbigh Showgrounds in Clarendon. The initiatives include widening the tagging service, boosting supplies of identification tags, recruiting community assistants, and putting in place a short-term arrangement to help eligible farmers move animals for slaughter.

Green said the steps are designed to keep pace with rising demand for tagging while allowing legitimate farmers to carry on with their operations without disruption.

Six new animal technicians will join the Veterinary Services Division over the coming four weeks and will be posted to parishes facing the heaviest delays. The ministry is also hiring 100 community assistants to work alongside veterinary staff, helping farmers restrain cattle so animals can be tagged more efficiently.

On supplies, Green said an order for 130,000 additional tags is expected to arrive by the first week of August, on top of 20,000 tags received about two weeks earlier. "Tag won't be the issue," he told the gathering.

For July and August, the ministry will operate a temporary protocol allowing farmers who have struggled to get animals tagged to transport those livestock for slaughter. Green said the Agriculture Protection Branch is working with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority to finalise the arrangement. Farmers will need to notify the police, retain their receipts, and comply with a fixed time limit.

Green urged farmers to arrange tagging well before they intend to sell an animal, rather than waiting until slaughter is imminent.