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A beef vendor in St. Elizabeth
Beef vendors in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth say they are running out of stock as their herds have not been tagged to allow for butchering and sale.
The Santa Cruz market vendors say they have not been able to replenish their beef stock since there is a shortage of authorised persons tagging cattle and inspecting meat intended for human consumption in the parish.
It is illegal to buy, sell or slaughter cattle that are not affixed with the National Animal Identification and Traceability System ear tags.
Ear tags allow for individual identification, effective herd management, record keeping and enhanced traceability.
One vendor said Agriculture Minister Floyd Green had promised that the process would be improved, with added numbers of people authorised to tag the animals, but the vendor complained that, to date, it appears there is still just one person carrying out the job.
The vendors argued that the delay could cause an increase in the theft of cattle, since many of the animals are not tagged.
They say the delays have also resulted in slower sales for other kinds of meat.
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